Changwon Special City Focuses Administrative Efforts to Normalize Daesan Park Golf Course

Changwon City Park Golf Association New Member
Recruitment: Caution Advised for Citizens

Changwon City in Gyeongnam Province has decided to focus its administrative efforts on normalizing Daesan Park Golf Course so that any Changwon citizen can freely use the facilities without restrictions.

Changwon Special City Hall, Gyeongnam.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

Until now, Daesan Park Golf Course has been accessible only to members of the Changwon City Park Golf Association (hereinafter ‘the Association’), and general citizens (non-members) have been restricted from entry by the Association, leading to frequent conflicts on-site and ongoing controversies.

Accordingly, on November 10 last year, the city unilaterally terminated the ‘Daesan Park Golf Course Management and Operation Consignment Agreement’ with the Association due to violations of the agreement, including restrictions on general citizens (non-members) using the facility.

Changwon City is currently working to normalize the operation of Daesan Park Golf Course by obtaining a river occupancy permit from the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office and proceeding with safety maintenance construction in accordance with the permit conditions. After passing the completion inspection, the facilities will be opened to the public.

However, the Association has illegally occupied and operated Daesan Park Golf Course to date, continuously obstructing the city’s lawful maintenance work for normalization, resulting in delays without even starting the safety maintenance construction.

Despite multiple administrative guidance efforts, the city has taken strong administrative measures as the Association continues illegal activities such as posting banners that defame and incite against the city.

The Association announced that it will recruit new members for 2024 from the 22nd to the 25th and is coercing payment of an entrance fee (110,000 KRW) for membership.

In this regard, Changwon City stated that since the Association has lost the management and operation rights of Daesan Park Golf Course, it cannot perform any acts using the facility as a medium, and there is no legal basis under the current River Act and State Property Act to entrust the Park Golf Association with management and operation.

Furthermore, the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office, which oversees the Nakdong River basin, clearly expressed its opinion that “entrusting the operation of land and facilities under the river occupancy permit to others violates the River Act, and as a principle of river management, the river cannot be subject to private rights.”

A city official said, “Through the normalization of Daesan Park Golf Course facilities (90 holes), we will do our best to install safety and convenience facilities so that citizens can use the facilities safely and open them to the public within the first half of the year.”

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