'Nationalization Proposal' for Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute Submitted to National Policy Planning Committee

Choi Minho and Kim Taeheum Submit Joint Petition
Calling for Nationalization of Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute
to Secure Public Access and Preserve the Geumgang Arboretum

A proposal has been made to nationalize the Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute in order to preserve the ecological value of the Geumgang Arboretum and to secure its public character.

On August 6, a petition signed by Sejong Mayor Choi Minho and Chungnam Governor Kim Taeheum, urging the nationalization of the land of the Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute located in Geumnam-myeon, Sejong City, was submitted to the National Policy Planning Committee. Until 2012, the area was under the jurisdiction of Gongju City, Chungnam, but after the launch of Sejong City, it has been an asset owned by Chungnam Province within Sejong's administrative district for the past 13 years. Recently, with Chungnam Province deciding to relocate the institute's facilities to Cheongyang, the issue of divided ownership and management has arisen.

Therefore, both local governments have been exploring various options, including nationalization of the site and private sale. However, since the research institute's land includes the Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest and Arboretum, there have been ongoing calls for nationalization to secure public access for citizens' leisure and relaxation and to preserve the natural environment.

For this reason, the city and Chungnam Province have included the opinions of their residents, which have been raised over time, in a joint petition proposing the nationalization plan.

The main point of the joint petition is to urge the need for public use of the research institute, the Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest, and the arboretum at the national level. Since Sejong is the only one among the 17 metropolitan governments nationwide without a recreation forest facility, the government must come up with a plan for public use to ensure citizens have access to leisure and relaxation spaces.

By submitting the joint petition to the National Policy Planning Committee and requesting that President Lee Jaemyung's national agenda reflect this, the city and province plan to continue requesting measures to secure public access.

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