Rift Deepens Between Osan and Hwaseong... Now Clashing Over 'Taxi License Allocation'

Hwaseong City: "Allocation Should Be 9 to 1 Based on Population and Contribution"
Osan City: "The 75-to-25 Agreement by Corporate Taxi Unions Must Be Respected"

The conflict between Osan City and Hwaseong City, which has been ongoing over the construction of a large logistics center in Dongtan, Hwaseong, is now extending to the issue of taxi license allocation.

On October 21, Osan City issued a press release stating its opposition to Hwaseong City's recent proposal to allocate new taxi licenses in the "Integrated Taxi Business District" based on "area and population."

This dispute arose over the allocation ratio of 92 new taxi licenses within the "Integrated Taxi Business District," where the daily lives of the two cities overlap.

Previously, Hwaseong City argued that, considering its population size and its contribution during the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's new license allocation process, the taxi license allocation ratio between Hwaseong and Osan should be 9 to 1. Hwaseong City has submitted this position to the Gyeonggi-do Dispute Mediation Committee.

In response, Osan City claims that this is a unilateral standard that fails to consider the characteristics of the integrated district and actual transportation conditions. Osan City argues that since the two cities share living and transportation zones and residents frequently cross administrative boundaries, allocating licenses based solely on population or area does not reflect reality and is therefore unacceptable.

Osan City also emphasized that the corporate taxi unions of both cities had already agreed to a 75-to-25 ratio in 2018, and that this principle should be respected. Additionally, Osan City noted that since the government has made addressing regional imbalances and strengthening the self-reliance of small and medium-sized cities a key national policy, an administrative environment that respects the autonomy and rights of smaller cities is necessary.

A city official stated, "True balanced development is possible only when the spirit of coexistence and cooperation is upheld," and added, "Osan City will continue to take a responsible stance to protect citizens' mobility rights and ensure regional equity."

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