Jeonnam Province Prepares Its Own Plan to Respond to Gwangju Military Airport Special Implementation

Jeonnam Province recently judged that the Ministry of National Defense's draft enforcement decree for the "Special Act on the Relocation of Gwangju Military Airport and Development of the Former Site," which was announced for legislative notice, deviates from the purpose of the special law that specifies national support. Accordingly, the province decided to prepare its own draft and respond actively.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 25th, on the 18th, the Ministry of National Defense announced for legislative notice the enforcement decree (draft) that stipulates matters delegated by law and necessary for its implementation following the enactment of the "Special Act on the Relocation of Gwangju Military Airport and Development of the Former Site" (enacted on April 25, 2023, and effective from August 26).

The Ministry of National Defense's draft, consisting of a total of 10 articles, includes one purpose clause, four clauses related to excess project costs, four clauses related to the development of the former site (Gwangju), and one clause on preferential treatment for local companies, but it completely lacks regulations concerning support for the relocation area.

Accordingly, Jeonnam Province decided to prepare its own enforcement decree (draft) containing support plans and related procedures for the relocation area and actively propose it to the Ministry of National Defense.

The main contents of the draft prepared by Jeonnam Province are ▲prior consultation with the heads of the relevant city/province and mayors or county governors when selecting preliminary relocation candidate sites ▲collecting opinions from city/province governors when establishing financial plans for relocation and support projects ▲mandatory support projects that must be included in the support plan for the surrounding relocation area ▲exemption from preliminary feasibility studies for support projects in the relocation area ▲holding at least three public hearings targeting the relocation area ▲priority implementation of support projects and early use of support funds, totaling six items.

In particular, although it is stipulated that the Minister of National Defense shall consult with the heads of relevant local governments when selecting preliminary relocation candidate sites for military airports, Jeonnam Province views the Ministry’s legal interpretation limiting the heads of relevant local governments to mayors and county governors as problematic and requested a legal interpretation to include metropolitan local government heads as well. Furthermore, the province plans to propose amendments to the law.

The mandatory support projects that must be included in the support plan for the surrounding relocation area include ▲relocation measures, living measures, and livelihood support ▲separate compensation and support measures for residents affected by noise ▲expansion of transportation networks such as roads, railways, and port facilities connecting major cities in Gwangju and Jeonnam Province to the military airport ▲construction of new towns such as relocation complexes linked to the military airport and related infrastructure for rear industrial complexes.

This imposes an obligation on the Minister of National Defense and project implementers to basically include support projects such as relocation measures when establishing support plans for the surrounding relocation area. Jeonnam Province’s position is that minimum economic compensation must be guaranteed for local residents who have accepted the military airport, which is a socially undesirable facility.

Jeonnam Province plans to conduct practical consultations with Gwangju City and the Ministry of National Defense regarding the draft enforcement decree, review legalities, and refine detailed regulations by June 1, the deadline for submitting opinions to the Ministry of National Defense, and officially submit the draft to the Ministry.

When the special law was enacted, Jeonnam Province expressed its active welcome for the passage of the special law but also expressed regret that specific support measures for the relocation area were missing from the law.

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