Yongin City Pokok and Mohyeon-eup '500 Soccer Fields Worth of Land' Released from 25-Year Regulations

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] Yongin Special City announced on the 17th that 3.728㎢ (approximately 1.128 million pyeong) around Gyeongan Stream in Pochok-eup, Mohyeon-eup, and Yurim-dong of Cheoin-gu, which had been subject to dual regulations as both a military facility protection zone and waterfront zone, will be deregulated from the Han River System Protection Area (waterfront zone).

In areas designated as military facility protection zones, other regulations cannot be imposed. However, vast land equivalent to approximately 500 soccer fields had been subject to dual regulations by being designated as a Han River System protection zone. The Yongin City administration under Mayor Lee Sang-il of the 8th civilian government and city officials identified this problem and lifted the regulations on this land through consultations with the Ministry of Environment.

In relation to this, the Ministry of Environment published a notice of Han River System waterfront zone deregulation [Ministry of Environment Notice No. 2024-221] in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Korea on the 15th. Related topographic maps can be viewed on the Land Governance Portal (http://www.eum.go.kr).

The Ministry of Environment designated 24.213㎢ of this area as a Han River System waterfront zone through a notice [Ministry of Environment Notice No. 1999-153] on September 30, 1999, according to Article 4 of the 'Act on Improvement of Water Quality in the Han River System and Support for Residents' (hereinafter referred to as the Han River System Act). After 25 years, vast land in Cheoin-gu has been released from regulations.

The 3.728㎢ waterfront zone being released from regulations comprises areas that were multiply designated as both a waterfront zone under the 'Han River System Act' and a military facility protection zone under the 'Act on Protection of Military Installations and Military Sites,' subjecting them to dual regulations. These include 3.65㎢ consisting of Samgyenam-ri, Geumeo-ri, Dunjeon-ri, Sinwon-ri, Youngmun-ri, and Uyun-ri in Pochok-eup, and Chobu-ri in Mohyeon-eup and part of Yubangsea-dong, as well as 0.078㎢ of Yubangsea-dong that was designated due to errors in calculating distance from stream boundaries (within 1km on both banks of Gyeongan Stream).

Mayor Lee Sang-il stated, "We are grateful to the Ministry of Environment for making the decision to lift the dual regulations on the Gyeongan Stream waterfront zone," and evaluated, "This regulation lifting is a major achievement in which the results of regulatory relief efforts have been realized, following the achievement of lifting the Songtan Water Source Protection Zone (Yongin Idong and Namsa-eup, 64,432㎢, approximately 19.5 million pyeong) that was under regulations for 45 years in April. Property rights exercise by residents in the affected area will become more free, and this will contribute greatly to regional development."

Currently, within the waterfront zone, under the Han River System Act, new installations (including change of use) of facilities such as food service businesses, accommodation facilities, bathhouses, tourist accommodation, detached houses (multi-unit houses limited), and apartment complexes cannot be established. These regulations have acted as a significant shackle on regional development, and residents have experienced considerable inconvenience in their daily lives.

The city has continuously consulted with the Ministry of Environment and the Han River Basin Environmental Office since last year to follow the necessary administrative procedures for the waterfront zone designation lift. The city conducted on-site fact-finding surveys, provided military facility protection zone records, established water quality conservation measures following the lift, and gathered opinions from the Han River System Management Committee, flawlessly implementing these processes to finally achieve the waterfront zone designation lift.

Meanwhile, the city plans to establish and implement multifaceted measures to stably manage the water quality and environment of Gyeongan Stream going forward.