Hanam City Establishes Institutional Framework for Full Promotion of 'Camp Cobert Project'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Um In-yong] Hanam City announced that with the revision and implementation of the 'Gyeonggi Province Green Belt Release Integrated Guidelines' (hereinafter referred to as Gyeonggi Province Green Belt Release Guidelines) as of the 31st, the institutional foundation has been established to full promote the Camp Cobert project, which had been delayed due to various regulations.

Previously, the Gyeonggi Province Green Belt Release Guidelines operated under stricter standards than the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport guidelines.

In particular, conditions difficult to secure profitability for developers, such as 'securing an additional 10-15% or more rental housing' and 'mandatory reflection of 5% or more parks and green spaces,' were imposed, causing numerous basic local governments, including Hanam City, to face difficulties in promoting development projects over the long term.

Accordingly, Hanam City has continuously raised the need to ease the guidelines for regional balanced development and to fulfill citizens' long-held wishes.

Mayor Lee directly recommended guideline improvements to Governor Kim Dong-yeon at the 'Gyeonggi Province Governor-Mayor and County Commissioner Policy Meeting' held last year.

Following the President's July 1st directive to actively consider the use of returned U.S. military facilities areas, Mayor Lee met multiple times with Gyeonggi Province U.S. Military Returned Areas Development Activation Task Force and Gyeonggi Province Urban and Housing Division officials to explain Hanam City's development realities and difficulties, persuading them of the necessity of revisions.

In this process, the city continuously presented ▲the national uniqueness of returned U.S. military facilities areas ▲the necessity of utilizing vacant land in urban areas ▲equity issues among returned U.S. military facilities areas, and strongly urged provincial-level institutional improvements.

This revision is evaluated as a case where Mayor Lee Hyun-jae's continuous recommendations and Gyeonggi Province's active review have borne fruit.

The city also plans to comprehensively promote ▲attraction of cutting-edge industries ▲strengthening self-sufficient functions ▲expansion of resident convenience facilities centered on returned U.S. military facilities areas to vitalize the local economy and create jobs.

Meanwhile, Camp Cobert has experienced delayed development since its return by the U.S. military in 2007 due to various regulations and complex administrative procedures. During the third public recruitment, the Camp Cobert Urban Development Project, which was withdrawn with only one consortium bidding, is expected to generate significant interest from related industries as flexibility in the project plan has been secured through this guideline relaxation.

Mayor Lee Hyun-jae stated, "This guideline revision will be an important turning point opening the path for the development of returned U.S. military facilities areas, a long-cherished project of Hanam City," adding, "We will continue to work closely with Gyeonggi Province and the central government to do our utmost for regional balanced development and improving residents' quality of life."