"Special Treatment or Legality?"... Developer Reacts Strongly to Solar City Allegations in Haenam

Developer Strongly Refutes Allegations of Hundreds of Billions in Preferential Treatment, Calling Claims "Distorted"


County Assemblyman Kiwoo Lee: "Solar City Is a Centennial Plan for Haenam... The Attacks Must Stop"

The local community is in turmoil as large-scale preferential treatment allegations have emerged surrounding 'Solar City,' a Southwest Coast enterprise city currently being developed in Sanui-myeon, Haenam County, South Jeolla Province.

After several YouTube channels pointed out improprieties in the use of public funds and the land acquisition process, the project developer, Southwest Coast Enterprise City Development Co. (hereinafter referred to as the developer), responded immediately on May 19, calling these claims "distorted and unfounded."

Overview of Haenam Solasido Corporate City

"Using national funds for private green space obligations?"...Developer: "Completely separate projects"

The most heated controversy concerns the debate over national funding related to the obligation to create green spaces. The developer strongly refuted suspicions that it received hundreds of billions of won in preferential treatment by attracting national and provincial policy projects, such as ecological gardens, to mandatory green spaces, which should have been developed at its own expense under the "Enterprise City Development Special Act," asserting that "these claims are entirely untrue."

According to the developer, the Southwest Coast Ecological Garden City project (KRW 40 billion) and the Climate Response Urban Forest project (KRW 3.9 billion), both funded by the national government, are "national subsidy projects" led by Haenam County based on individual laws such as the Arboretum and Garden Act. A representative from the developer emphasized, "Even if a garden is established on the designated land, the company's step-by-step obligation to create green space under the Enterprise City Development Special Act will be fulfilled separately, and this has already been confirmed in an official document."

Regarding the controversy at the golf course entrance, the developer explained, "Since a large-scale residential complex with 6,900 households is planned nearby, this is a legitimate and reasonable measure to block fine dust from surrounding industrial complexes."

There is also fierce debate surrounding the price of the kimchi ingredient supply complex land (22,000 pyeong, KRW 29 billion) purchased by Haenam County. Those raising suspicions claim that, compared to the nearby Sani Garden site, Haenam County purchased the land at an excessively high price, thereby enriching the developer. However, the developer dismissed this as a "simple comparison error," stating that the urban planning standards and development characteristics of land for tourism and industrial use are fundamentally different.

In particular, regarding the land purchase price, the developer said, "The initially proposed desktop appraisal price was KRW 700,000 per pyeong, but at the request of Haenam County, it was supplied at a 'development cost' level of around KRW 550,000 per pyeong." The developer further argued, "Given that industrial land cannot legally be appraised at less than the development cost, from Haenam County's standpoint, it actually secured this key land at a significantly lower price."

Local politicians: "Solar City is a centennial plan for Haenam... The attacks must stop"

As the controversy spreads, local politicians have also expressed concern, pointing out that indiscriminate suspicion without objective facts could hinder the local economy.

Kiwoo Lee, a Haenam County assemblyman, stated, "When Sani Garden was purchased, it was in its original undeveloped state, while the kimchi ingredient supply complex was a semi-industrial area with all civil engineering and infrastructure already completed. Comparing the price per pyeong in such a simplistic way is an unreasonable argument that ignores the reality."

Assemblyman Lee further urged, "Solar City is a future strategic project that will determine Haenam's path for the next century. Excessive distortion could lead to a lack of investment confidence and weaken future competitiveness, so we must approach this issue calmly, based on facts and principles."

Oversight and checks on large-scale public-private joint development projects are essential. However, for the successful launch of the Solar City project, avoiding unnecessary mudslinging and instead focusing on transparent information disclosure and lawful administrative procedures to build local trust has emerged as the top priority.

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