Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption to End 45-Year Restriction on Yongin Development This Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] The 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone,' which has restricted vast Yongin Special City land (64.43㎢, approximately 19.5 million pyeong) for 45 years, is expected to be exempted this year, three to four months earlier than initially expected, following the rapid progress of follow-up measures after the exemption decision in April.

Yongin City announced on the 22nd that "the Han River Basin Environmental Office, which reviewed Pyeongtaek City's application for 'General Water Service Project Amendment (Closure),' issued the 'Pyeongtaek General Water Service Project Amendment Approval' on the 19th."

The Han River Basin Environmental Office's approval of the general water service project amendment is the final administrative procedure preceding the exemption of the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone.'

Accordingly, Mayor Lee Sang-il stated that the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption'—an essential condition for the successful establishment of the Idong and Namsa-eup Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex and a long-held desire of Yongin citizens—is expected to be realized in the not-distant future.

Following the Han River Basin Environmental Office announcement, the Songtan Water Intake and Purification Plant, which supplies 15,000 tons of domestic water to Pyeongtaek, will be closed, while 150,000 tons of water resources supplied to Pyeongtaek's Godeok Industrial Complex will be utilized as domestic water.

The Ministry of Environment previously approved changes to the water supply improvement plan on the 29th of last month. This is the first administrative procedure for the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption,' based on the mutual cooperation agreement signed in April between Yongin City, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Environment, Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, Samsung Electronics, and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation.

With the announcement of the 'Pyeongtaek Water Supply Improvement Change Plan' and 'General Water Service Project Amendment Approval,' the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption' has passed the 90 percent mark, according to observers.

Until the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption,' only Pyeongtaek City's application for 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption' and the procedure for 'Factory Establishment Restriction and Approval Changes' for the area remain.

Following the closure of the Songtan Water Intake and Purification Plant, Pyeongtaek City is expected to apply for the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption' shortly. The groundwater protection zone exemption is expected to be completed this year.

Since April of last year, Yongin City has emphasized the necessity of 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption' through working-level meetings of a pan-government promotion support group composed of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Environment, Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, Samsung Electronics, and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, and led to the full exemption decision on April 17.

When Pyeongtaek City applies for 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption,' Gyeonggi Province will proceed with approval procedures by hearing public opinions from Yongin City and Pyeongtaek City. According to officials, Gyeonggi Province, which has agreed on 'Complete Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone Exemption,' will proceed swiftly with the exemption procedures once the application is received.

The 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone' was designated in 1979 following the construction of the Songtan Water Intake and Purification Plant to supply tap water to Pyeongtaek. The Yongin land designated as the protection zone covers 64.43㎢ (approximately 19.5 million pyeong) in the Idong and Namsa-eup areas, equivalent to 53% of Suwon City's total area and 1.5 times that of Osan City.

The breakthrough in lifting the Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone, which severely restricted property rights exercise by Yongin citizens, began when Mayor Lee Sang-il under the eighth civilian administration advanced semiconductor industry development policies and attracted Samsung Electronics' 360 trillion won investment in the Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex, decided on March 15 of last year to be established on 728 million square meters (approximately 2.2 million pyeong) in the Idong-eup and Namsa-eup areas of Cheoin-gu.

When part of the national industrial complex, where Samsung Electronics is constructing six semiconductor production lines (fabs), fell within the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone,' the city pursued and achieved a complete exemption of the restricted area.

Once the 'Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone' is exempted, it is expected to expand the semiconductor industry ecosystem that will bear the country's future competitiveness, increase productivity of the national industrial complex, and resolve long-standing conflicts between Yongin and Pyeongtaek.

Mayor Lee Sang-il stated, "The Songtan Groundwater Protection Zone exemption is a historic measure that was unimaginable in the past and will bring very positive effects for the development of Yongin and Pyeongtaek and strengthening the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry," and added, "As long-standing regulations are lifted through the protection zone exemption, citizens and businesses in both cities will enjoy freedom in exercising property rights, and both cities will be able to create spaces for citizens and businesses and install various good facilities."