Guri City: "Topyeong 2 Cannot Have New Industrial Zones Designated Under Metropolitan Reorganization Planning Act, Overpopulation Suppression Zone"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Guri City has refuted claims made by former Guri Mayor Park Young-soon in an emergency appeal statement presented at the Guri City Council, stating that his assertion about the legal feasibility of establishing an advanced urban industrial complex in the semi-residential zone within the urban support facilities site of the Guri Topyeong 2 Public Housing District is not factual.

In his appeal statement, former Mayor Park advocated for attracting an advanced urban industrial complex to the Topyeong 2 district along the Hangang River in Guri, stating that "advanced urban industrial complexes can be designated not only in industrial zones but also in semi-residential zones, and there is a precedent of establishing an advanced urban industrial complex in a semi-residential zone of approximately 150,000 square meters in Dongtan 2 New City in Hwaseong." He further argued that "if industrial zone allocation is needed within the overpopulation suppression zone, Gyeonggi Province can allocate from its overall allocation to Guri Topyeong, and if not designated as an advanced urban industrial complex, the 'Guri Topyeong 2 Public Housing District Project' will degenerate into a bedroom community."

However, Guri City countered that "under Article 7 of the Metropolitan Reorganization Planning Act (Restrictions on Activities in Overpopulation Suppression Zones), new designation of industrial zones in overpopulation suppression zones is prohibited, and the industrial zones defined in the Metropolitan Reorganization Planning Act include advanced urban industrial complexes under the 'Industrial Location and Development Act,' making Park's assertion about the legal feasibility of establishing an advanced urban industrial complex in the semi-residential zone within the urban support facilities site of Guri Topyeong 2 Public Housing District factually incorrect."

Additionally, Guri City stated that "the Hwaseong Dongtan 2 land development project and Namyangju Wangsuk Public Housing District cited by former Mayor Park belong to 'growth management zones' with relatively fewer regulations, and applying the same approach to Topyeong 2 district, which is an 'overpopulation suppression zone,' is not appropriate."

Furthermore, Guri City refuted concerns that "if the 'advanced urban industrial complex' is not designated in Topyeong 2 Public Housing District, only knowledge-based industrial centers will occupy the urban support facilities site, leading to a bedroom community due to reduced self-reliance functions such as vacancy, saying such concerns are not factual."

Meanwhile, Guri City has been continuously coordinating with relevant Gyeonggi Province departments to secure industrial zone allocation, and has held two rounds of consultations with Gyeonggi Province so far this year.

Additionally, at the 'Metropolitan Regulatory Improvement (Relaxation) Regional Meeting' held in July last year, Guri City pointed out that the city's designation as an overpopulation suppression zone limits benefits from tax and burden reductions, making it practically difficult to attract businesses and leading to urban development stagnation. The city has been seeking ways to overcome various regulations, including proposing partial adjustments (relaxation) to the overpopulation suppression zone for the establishment of advanced industrial complexes and regional balanced development and economic revitalization.

Guri Mayor Baek Gyeong-hyun stated, "Topyeong 2 Public Housing District has advantageous location conditions with superior transportation and geographic location compared to other regions, providing favorable advantages for attracting businesses. We will make every effort to develop Topyeong 2 Public Housing District as a 'Live-Work-Play' complex city with concentrated urban essential functions including commerce and business, promoting regional economic revitalization and job creation."