"Reflected Local Public Opinion"... Jeong Jong-bok, Gijang County Governor, Relieved by City Council's Amendment Approval of 'City Urban Planning Ordinance'

Exclusion of Authority for Five Facilities Including Cemetery Parks, Funeral Facilities, and Waste Treatment Facilities

Jeong Jong-bok, the mayor of Gijang-gun, Busan, expressed great relief on the 22nd at the Busan Metropolitan Council, stating that the final amended approval of the ‘Busan City Urban Planning Ordinance Amendment’ reflects the acceptance of local public opinion.

The ‘Busan City Urban Planning Ordinance Amendment,’ which was amended and approved at the plenary session of the Busan Metropolitan Council on the same day, excluded five facility authorities?cemetery parks, funeral facilities, waste treatment facilities, etc.?from the seven urban planning facility decision authorities delegated from the districts and counties that Busan City initially sought to reclaim. The amendment was proposed by Park Jong-cheol (Gijang-gun 1) and 11 others, and was finalized after a full council vote.

Jung Jong-bok, the head of Gijang County, is expressing his thoughts after the Busan City Council's decision to approve the amendment. Photo by Gijang County

With this ordinance amendment’s revised approval, Busan City’s attempt to reduce and forcibly take over the authority of basic local governments, who are direct stakeholders, in deciding on undesirable facilities such as waste treatment facilities has ultimately been halted.

Since the legislative notice period, Gijang-gun has strongly opposed the amendment, insisting that the residents of the affected areas and the basic local governments, as direct stakeholders of undesirable facilities, must actively participate in the policy decision and implementation processes regarding these facilities.

In response to Busan City’s push to proceed with the amendment process, Mayor Jeong issued a statement urging the suspension of the amendment and repeatedly led opposition protests with local residents.

On the 21st, he led the resolution urging suspension at the meeting of Busan City district and county heads, submitted a petition to the city council requesting the amendment’s rejection, and devoted all efforts to blocking the ordinance amendment.

In particular, Mayor Jeong expressed strong regret over the standing committee’s original approval decision on the 21st and stayed in the city council plenary session hall until the final decision on the 22nd, urging the suspension of the amendment.

The county holds the position that the Busan Metropolitan Council’s decision reflects the strong opposition of the local community, thereby avoiding the worst-case scenario. It also raised its voice again in criticism of Busan City’s unilateral attempt to amend the ordinance.

Mayor Jeong Jong-bok said, “I deeply thank the Busan Metropolitan Council for their wise decision to block Busan City’s anachronistic ordinance amendment.” He also expressed “infinite respect and gratitude to the citizens of Gijang-gun, the local political circles, and the basic local governments of Busan City who stood together against Busan City’s unilateral ordinance amendment attempt.”

Furthermore, he emphasized, “It is the foundation of local autonomy and common sense that the local government, which is most closely related to regional development and the welfare of residents, should be the main decision-maker in policy judgments. If Busan City attempts to forcibly proceed with such an amendment again, it will face strong opposition from basic local governments including Gijang-gun and local residents.”

Jung Jong-bok, the mayor of Gijang County, appealed against the unfairness of the amendment to the urban planning ordinance together with residents at Busan City Hall on the 21st. Photo by Gijang County

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