Osan Mayor Jo Yong-ho and Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jeong Myung-keun Joining Hands to Resolve Border Area Issues

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Osan Mayor Jo Yong-ho held his first official meeting with Hwaseong Special City Mayor Jeong Myung-keun on the 21st and launched efforts to cooperate in resolving daily living issues in the border areas of Osan and Hwaseong.

The visit marks the first official on-site schedule the two leaders have undertaken together since the start of the ninth popularly elected administration. It was arranged to examine border area issues between Osan and Hwaseong, which form a single residential sphere, and to discuss necessary cooperation from Hwaseong City for project implementation.

The main agenda items are the installation of a pedestrian bridge across Sammi Stream and the connection of sewage pipelines in the areas around Oesanmi-dong and Neung-dong.

The pedestrian bridge across Sammi Stream is a project designed to respond to increased pedestrian demand resulting from development of the Yangsan 3 and 4 districts and to improve accessibility to Byeongjeom Station. Osan City presented the necessity of installing a pedestrian bridge across Sammi Stream to secure pedestrian routes connecting Yangsan-dong and Byeongjeom Station.

To proceed with the project, administrative cooperation from Hwaseong City is necessary, including site use permits and opening of urban planning roads. Osan City explained the project's necessity and requested cooperation on related procedures. Once the pedestrian bridge is installed, it is expected to enhance convenience for users of Byeongjeom Station and strengthen the connection of residential spheres between the two cities.

The sewage pipeline connection is an agenda item aimed at improving river water quality and odor problems in the border areas. Currently, discharge water from some private wastewater treatment facilities in Oesanmi-dong and the Neung-dong area of Hwaseong City has been flowing into Munsi Stream and Sammi Stream, causing resident inconvenience.

Accordingly, Osan City proposed installing a new sewage pipeline in the Oesanmi-dong area and connecting it with pipelines in Hwaseong City. Once the pipelines are connected, wastewater from the area can be treated at public wastewater treatment facilities, which is expected to help improve water quality in Munsi Stream and Sammi Stream and reduce odors.

Mayor Jo Yong-ho stated, "Although Osan and Hwaseong have different administrative divisions, residents' daily lives are connected within a single residential sphere. For issues requiring cooperation between the two cities, we will find solutions on-site and work closely with Hwaseong City so that residents can feel the changes."