Partial Deregulation of Dadohaehaesang National Park in Yeosu City

Published 16 Jun.2023 14:57(KST)

Geumodo District, Geomeon·Baekdo Districts Totaling 1.28㎢

Resolving Property Rights Infringement, Establishing Foundation for Island Area Development

Jeonnam Yeosu City (Mayor Jeong Gi-myeong) announced that the Ministry of Environment will lift the designation of 1,285㎢ of the Geumo-do and Geomun-Baekdo districts within the Dadohaehaesang National Park area in the jurisdiction starting from the 28th.

This decision follows the approval of the 3rd park plan amendment, which the Ministry of Environment has been promoting since 2018 and was passed at the National Park Committee review at the end of April this year, and was recently announced (Notice No. 2023-105).

Geomundo, Yeosu [Photo by Yeosu City]

The final lifted areas are 1.25㎢ in the Geumo-do district and 0.035㎢ in the Geomun-Baekdo district.

Most of the lifted areas are private lands owned by residents of Nam-myeon, and it is expected that the inconveniences such as infringement of property rights experienced by local residents for a long time will be somewhat resolved.

Additionally, a foundation for development, albeit limited, is expected to be established in the island areas where development was restricted, such as the construction of a new waste disposal site on Geomun-do and the installation of an observatory at Uhak Port in Nam-myeon.

Previously, Yeosu City has continuously requested the Ministry of Environment to lift the park designation to resolve the inconveniences experienced by local residents due to the national park designation, starting with the submission of the “Petition for Partial Lifting of the Geumo-do District” in 2018.

This lifting of the park area is significant as it is the result of long efforts over the past five years, including feasibility study regional council meetings promoted by Yeosu City, securing alternative inclusion sites, and close consultations with the Korea National Park Service and the Korea Forest Service.

Residents who own private land in the areas subject to lifting can check whether their land is included or excluded from the park area by viewing the topographic maps available at the Dadohaehaesang National Park Office of the Korea National Park Service or by inquiring at the National Park Office.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment reviews the feasibility of the current national park plan and changes or establishes the national park plan every 10 years in accordance with the “Natural Parks Act.”