"Incheon National University Jemulpo Campus Should Be Contributed in Kind to Incheon Urban Corporation for Public Complex Development"

Assemblyman Heo Jong-sik Points Out Long-Term Neglect of Jemulpo Campus
Introduction of Anchor Facilities Like Water Park and Lake Park Needed for Old Downtown Revitalization

A proposal has been made to contribute land in kind to Incheon Urban Corporation (iH) and proceed with public complex development to develop the site of Incheon National University Jemulpo Campus (Dohwa-dong, Michuhol-gu), which has been neglected for over 10 years.

On the 23rd, Heo Jong-sik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Incheon Dong-gu·Michuhol-gu Gap), stated, "The neglect of Incheon National University Jemulpo Campus hinders the convenience of residents in the Dohwa district and acts as a factor in the slumification of the old downtown area," adding, "Instead of the commercial land development method by private developers with low feasibility, it should be re-planned as a public complex development by iH through in-kind contribution."

Incheon National University established a land use plan for the 221,298㎡ site through the 'Jemulpo Campus Development Concept Establishment Service' completed in February last year, allocating ▲educational facility land 129,327㎡ (58.4%) ▲commercial facility land 69,978㎡ (31.6%) ▲park 17,941㎡ (8.1%) ▲road 4,052㎡ (1.9%). The project costs for educational facilities, resident convenience facilities, and infrastructure are planned to be covered by the sale of commercial land.

However, Heo’s office analyzed that such a development plan by Incheon National University has low feasibility. The estimated sale price of the Jemulpo Campus commercial land is 245.7 billion KRW (based on the official land price of nearby commercial land in January 2021), but if the school uses this to purchase land in Songdo, 215.8 billion KRW is required, leaving only 29.8 billion KRW available for investment in educational land and resident convenience facilities at Jemulpo Campus.

Jeomulpo Campus of Incheon National University [Photo provided by Assemblyman Heo Jong-sik's office]

Another reason to reconsider the project method is the 'free transfer contract.' Article 2 of the 'Shared Property (Jemulpo Campus) Free Transfer Contract' signed between Incheon City and Incheon National University in June 2020 states that "Jemulpo Campus must be used for more than 10 years to revitalize the old downtown area and improve educational conditions, and the urbanized land (commercial land) reflected in the 2040 Incheon Urban Basic Plan can be used and profited from for school development purposes."

It is necessary to examine what Incheon National University is doing to revitalize the old downtown area and improve educational conditions, especially whether the concept of 'profit' from commercial land includes 'disposal (land sale).' Currently, Incheon National University is only using the Seongjigwan building (former Haksan Library) as a lifelong education center and has effectively closed the campus by charging fees for the parking lot that was previously open to citizens.

Heo said, "It is time to diagnose why the 'prime land' within the Dohwa urban development project area, which is considered a successful project attracting young people, is being neglected and to publicize the re-planning of the project method accordingly," emphasizing, "We must promote public complex development including anchor facilities such as a water park and lake park so that the Jemulpo Campus site enhances the convenience of Dohwa district residents and becomes a catalyst for the development of the nearby old downtown area."

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