(image: National Institute of Forest Science)
JEONJU, July 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Jeonju, a southwestern South Korean city, has announced a plan to purchase all of the city’s urban parks that are subject to re-development under the so-called sunset system.
Under this scheme, land designated for urban green space can be re-developed if municipal governments wait more than 20 years to execute park plans.
The Jeonju city government’s latest move is a part of its efforts to prevent sprawling development as well as to protect leisure and rest areas for its citizens by encouraging the development of forests and gardens within urban parks.
Ahead of the July 1 effectuation of the sunset system for the city’s urban parks that remain undeveloped, the city government announced on Tuesday that it will buy the land for the city’s 15 urban parks by 2025.
The total area of the land that the city government plans to buy is 13.1 square kilometers, which is equivalent to about 80 percent of the city’s total park area.
The city government included the Mt. Garyeon Park on its purchase list despite the fact that it was designated as a special zone for promotion of public rental houses by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport.
The ministry intended to build public rental houses on 30 percent of the land area.
Against this backdrop, there are concerns about possible conflict between local authorities and the central government.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
