Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, "Cancellation of the Relocation of the Changneung District Ready-Mix Concrete Factory to Hyeoncheon-dong"

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, Issues Special Statement Urging Complete Cancellation of Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District Designation... Clear Damage from Dust in Adjacent Sangam-dong... Regrets Unilateral Procedure Without Consultation... Calls for "Cancellation of Decision and Proper Relocation Site Including Hyeoncheon-dong Junkyard"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, on the 27th, announced a special statement in the large conference room on the 8th floor of Mapo-gu Office, calling for the complete cancellation of the designation of the Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District.

The main point is to completely cancel the decision to designate the ‘Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District,’ which involves relocating about 350 to 500 companies such as ready-mix concrete plants and scrap metal and waste paper collection businesses within the Changneung Public Housing District to nearby Hyeoncheon-dong, and to prepare an appropriate site where even the junkyards scattered in Hyeoncheon-dong can be relocated together.

In the statement, Mayor Park said, “Near Hyeoncheon-dong in Goyang City, large-scale apartment complexes comparable to the 38,000 housing units supplied in the Changneung District have already been established, including 4,700 households in Deogeun District, 8,300 households in Hyangdong District, 11,300 households in Sangam, and 13,600 households in Susaek·Jeungsan.” He added, “It is obvious that if ready-mix concrete plants and others move to Hyeoncheon-dong, tens of thousands of residents will suffer from scattered dust and environmental pollution. Despite this, the procedure was unilaterally carried out without any prior consultation with related organizations in surrounding areas such as Mapo-gu, which I express very serious concerns and regrets about.”

He continued, explaining that Goyang City announced a strategy to foster the broadcasting and video industry through the creation of Deogeun Media Valley in the ‘2035 Goyang Urban Master Plan,’ and that Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu, which borders the area, is also home to the cutting-edge Digital Media City (DMC), where major Korean broadcasters such as MBC, JTBC, and YTN are concentrated. He pointed out, “Although the two areas’ characteristics could be linked for joint development to lead regional growth, relocating environmentally hazardous facilities such as ready-mix concrete plants is a makeshift solution focused only on immediate problem-solving.”

Furthermore, he added, “Since Deogeun District is being developed opposite the Mapo-gu intermediate waste collection site, under the district policy of ‘minimizing inconvenience to residents even if administrative districts differ,’ Mapo-gu is currently promoting facility improvement construction worth 1.8 billion won. Therefore, the government and Goyang City’s decision is deeply troubling for Mapo-gu.”

Mayor Park Gang-su urged, “Even now, the decision to designate the ‘Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District’ related to the relocation sites of existing companies within the Changneung Public Housing District should be completely canceled.” He stated, “I once again urge the preparation of fundamental measures to secure an appropriate site where not only the companies in Changneung District but also the junkyards currently scattered in Hyeoncheon-dong can be relocated together and settle stably.”

Special Statement by Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu

- Call for Complete Cancellation of the Designation of Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District -

Realizing housing stability, which is key to stabilizing people’s livelihoods, is a top priority not only for the government but also for local governments.

The government’s policy to expand housing supply in the metropolitan area through the creation of the 3rd New Town must be promptly promoted, and Mapo-gu fully understands the difficulties in this process and intends to actively cooperate.

Among the 3rd New Towns, the Goyang Changneung District has excellent accessibility to Seoul, allowing shared living areas, and its scale is considerable, raising high expectations.

However, I strongly protest on behalf of local residents that the government and Goyang City have overlooked important points by focusing solely on developing Changneung District as a planned residential complex without considering surrounding areas.

On September 3 last year, the government and Goyang City announced the ‘Designation of Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District and Resident Opinion Hearing.’ This is a procedure to relocate about 350 to 500 existing companies such as ready-mix concrete plants and scrap metal and waste paper collection businesses within the Changneung Public Housing District to nearby Hyeoncheon-dong.

The problem is that near Hyeoncheon-dong, large-scale apartment complexes comparable to the 38,000 housing units supplied in Changneung District have already been established, including 4,700 households in Deogeun District, 8,300 households in Hyangdong District, 11,300 households in Sangam, and 13,600 households in Susaek·Jeungsan.

It is obvious that if ready-mix concrete plants and others move to Hyeoncheon-dong, tens of thousands of residents will suffer from scattered dust and environmental pollution. Despite this, the procedure was unilaterally carried out without any prior consultation with related organizations in surrounding areas such as Mapo-gu, which I, as Mayor of Mapo-gu, express very serious concerns and regrets about.

Moreover, since Goyang Deogeun District is being developed opposite the Mapo-gu intermediate waste collection site, under the district policy of ‘minimizing inconvenience to residents even if administrative districts differ,’ Mapo-gu is currently promoting facility improvement construction worth 1.8 billion won. Therefore, the government and Goyang City’s decision is deeply troubling for us.

In addition, Goyang City announced a strategy to foster the broadcasting and video industry as a new industry by creating Deogeun Media Valley in the Hyeoncheon-dong and Deogeun-dong area through the ‘2035 Goyang Urban Master Plan.’

Also, Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu, which borders this area, is developed as the cutting-edge Digital Media City (DMC), where most of Korea’s broadcasters such as MBC, JTBC, and YTN are concentrated.

Therefore, linking the characteristics of these two areas for joint development will not only lead to regional development through mutual growth but also fulfill Goyang City’s plan to form a cutting-edge urban landscape.

Relocating environmentally hazardous facilities such as ready-mix concrete plants to an area where tens of thousands of residents will live happily and which will lead future growth engines and job creation is merely a makeshift solution focused on immediate problem-solving.

Urban planning and development require foresight looking beyond decades, even 100 years. Once developed, it is difficult to reverse problems, and reversing them incurs enormous social costs.

Therefore, I, Mayor of Mapo-gu, urge the government and Goyang City to completely cancel the designation of the ‘Goyang Hyeoncheon Public Housing District’ related to the relocation sites of existing companies within the Changneung Public Housing District.

This is not a shortsighted temporary measure to relocate companies nearby first and deal with consequences later but should be reconsidered from a broader perspective.

Considering that Hyeoncheon-dong will be developed as a low-density eco-friendly residential area harmonizing with Goyang City’s Samsong~Changneung~Deogeun areas, I once again urge the preparation of fundamental measures to secure an appropriate site where not only the companies in Changneung District but also the junkyards currently scattered in Hyeoncheon-dong can be relocated together and settle stably.

I hope that both Mapo-gu residents and Goyang citizens will continue coexistence and cooperation to live in a pleasant environment free from harm, and that related procedures will not be repeatedly carried out without consultation with Mapo-gu in the future.

July 2022

Mayor of Mapo-gu Park Gang-su

◆Mapo-gu Personnel ▲Head of Autonomous Administration Division (Acting Auditor, Concurrent Head of Better Mapo Promotion Team) Song Geum-ryong ▲Head of Cleaning Administration Division Shin Kwon-sik ▲Head of Computer Information Division Han Kyung-mi ▲Head of Finance Division Park Chun-joo ▲Head of Taxation Division 1 Yoon Min-seon ▲Head of Taxation Division 2 Im Kang-sook ▲Head of Tourism Division Lee Yeon-hwa ▲Head of Regional Economy Division Lee Yong-ok ▲Head of Social Security Division Kim Woon-soo ▲Head of Women and Family Division Lee Jae-seon ▲Head of Housing Division Nam Jong-woon ▲Head of Environment Division Jo Se-won ▲Head of Traffic Administration Division Nam Jin-ho ▲Head of Traffic Guidance Division Yang Sun-joo ▲Head of Construction Management Division Park Yong-seok ▲Head of Health Administration Division Park Kwang-woon ▲Head of Gongdeok-dong Lee Joo-hyun ▲Head of Ahyeon-dong Na Hye-jin ▲Head of Dohwa-dong Choi Hyun-woo ▲Head of Daehung-dong Kim Myung-sik ▲Head of Sinsu-dong Kim Jong-oh ▲Head of Seogang-dong Park Yong-seok ▲Head of Seogyo-dong Jo Yong-hak ▲Head of Mangwon 1-dong Kim Sung-hee ▲Head of Mangwon 2-dong Koo Joo-hoe ▲Head of Yeonnam-dong Park Eun-han ▲Head of Seongsan 1-dong Lee Pal-hyung ▲Head of Seongsan 2-dong Ahn Je-dong ▲Acting Head of Mapo 1st Street Research Group Kim Jeong-hee ▲Acting Head of Culture and Arts Division Kim Hyun-jung ▲Acting Head of Yonggang-dong Jo Hee-ok

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.