Gyeonggi Province Proposes Relocation of Korea Military Academy to Border Region

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province has proposed to the government the relocation of the Korea Military Academy, a national defense education facility, to border areas within the province that have made special sacrifices for national security for over half a century.

Vice Governor Lee Yong-chul of Gyeonggi Province announced the "Proposal for Relocation of the Korea Military Academy to Gyeonggi Province Border Areas" at an online press conference held on the morning of the 27th at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government briefing room.

The vice governor stated, "Following the government's recent announcement to expand housing supply, plans are being reviewed to utilize Taereung Golf Club as a residential development site, but the relocation of the military academy does not appear to be under consideration, taking into account the position of military authorities." He added, "We actively recommend to the government that the Korea Military Academy be relocated to border areas, particularly in northern Gyeonggi Province, where we can achieve balanced development of regions that have suffered from various regulations including military restrictions, and realize synergistic effects with military facilities."

The province plans to stabilize housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area by relocating these facilities to areas that have experienced special sacrifices, including "USFK Returning Public Facilities Areas" and "border areas," while infusing new vitality into underdeveloped regions and pursuing both economic revitalization and balanced development.

In particular, these areas have good accessibility, so inconvenience to users will not increase significantly. Meanwhile, the existing site can be utilized as a large-scale residential development together with the adjacent Taereung Golf Club without substantially damaging the Green Belt, thereby stabilizing housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area. The province explained that the national benefits from such relocation are very high, making it desirable from a national perspective.

Starting with this proposal announcement, the province plans to make its best efforts to recommend the relocation of the military academy to border areas within Gyeonggi Province to relevant central government agencies and the National Assembly, so that it may be included in government-wide measures.