Starting as early as May, significant portions of greenbelt areas designated for strategic local projects are set to be deregulated. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Korea Bizwire) – Starting as early as May, significant portions of greenbelt areas designated for strategic local projects are set to be deregulated. This unprecedented move will allow for unlimited greenbelt releases, and even high-conservation-value lands will see eased restrictions to attract investments.
While the government justifies this initiative as a boost for regional economies, critics argue it’s a populist policy aimed at securing votes ahead of the April general elections, raising alarms about potential reckless development and environmental degradation.
During the 13th Livelihood Forum held in Ulsan, the government unveiled its ‘Land Use Regulation Improvement Plan.’ President Yoon Suk-yeol highlighted the frequent obstacles posed by greenbelt regulations to establishing advanced industrial complexes aimed at generating local jobs and invigorating development.
He announced a comprehensive overhaul of the uniform deregulation standards that have been in place for 20 years, marking the most significant relaxation of regulations since adjustments were made for seven major metropolitan areas in 2001.
Under the new scheme, regions outside the capital area can proceed with strategic projects led by local governments without counting towards the greenbelt’s total allowable deregulation volume.
This effectively means unlimited greenbelt deregulation for approved regional strategic projects, such as Ulsan’s eco-friendly cars and South Gyeongsang Province’s intelligent machinery and aviation sectors. Even lands previously off-limits for development due to high environmental value assessments will be eligible for deregulation in non-capital regions.
The government also plans to prohibit the establishment of new land use regulations and actively eliminate existing ones by reviewing their necessity every five years. Smaller plots of agricultural land and other specified areas will now accommodate facilities for local residents or nearby industrial complexes, with eased regulations on building-to-land ratios and expansions.
Experts criticize the hasty deregulation as an election-driven measure that could lead to unchecked development, potentially leading to the neglect of city centers and exacerbating depopulation issues. The dilapidation of protected high-grade lands could spell a grim future for generations to come, living amidst the consequences of such developments.
Greenbelt deregulation can be implemented by merely amending the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s directives, without the need for legislative changes. The government has vowed to revise the relevant guidelines by May and apply them immediately, stirring a mix of anticipation and concern over the future of regional development and environmental conservation.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
