Gyeongnam Province, United Front with Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam on Greenbelt Release

Greenbelt Office System Improvement Working Meeting Held

Gyeongnam Provincial Government. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do, collectively known as Bu-Ul-Gyeong, which agreed to work together for ultra-wide area co-growth, have once again united.

On the morning of the 29th, Gyeongsangnam-do announced that it held discussions with Busan and Ulsan at Busan City Hall regarding the lifting of development restriction zones (Greenbelt).

At the Greenbelt administrative system improvement working meeting held that day, Ha Jongmok, Director of Planning and Coordination Office of Gyeongsangnam-do, Song Kyungjoo, Director of Planning and Coordination Office of Busan, Seo Namgyo, Director of Planning and Coordination Office of Ulsan, along with relevant department heads and researchers from the three cities and provinces attended.

According to the province, this meeting was a follow-up action to the agreement made on the 19th by the three Bu-Ul-Gyeong city and provincial governors to form dedicated task forces (TF) for lifting development restriction zones and to jointly propose measures to the government.

The attendees shared suggestions related to the improvement of development restriction zone systems by each city and province, and brainstormed to derive key common issues and prepare system improvement plans.

The three cities and provinces plan to continuously consult to devise measures for improving the development restriction zone system and submit proposals to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the first half of next year.

Starting with this meeting, discussions to prepare joint proposals are scheduled to take place in January next year, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to review the joint proposals submitted in February and reflect them in the first half of 2023.

Director Ha of the Planning and Coordination Office said, “There was a time when development restrictions were necessary, but now is the time for development.” He added, “Since the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also requested the cities and provinces to come up with good ideas regarding the improvement of Greenbelt administrative systems, we need to create good proposals that remove restrictions hindering Bu-Ul-Gyeong’s development and positively influence other regions as well.”

He continued, “Requesting the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to improve Greenbelt administration only for Bu-Ul-Gyeong would be difficult for them to accept. Although situations may differ slightly, it is necessary to find ways to connect and cooperate with other cities and provinces outside Bu-Ul-Gyeong. If we can anticipate the directions the Ministry and the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements are considering, it will help find a compromise between local and central governments.”

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