Hwaseong City 'Bristles' at Plan to Relocate Sihung's Air Defense Position to Maesong-myeon

On the 31st of last month at 3 p.m., Hwaseong City issued an emergency statement opposing the relocation of Sihung City's air defense position to Hwaseong, expressing its firm resolve to mobilize all its capabilities to prevent the transfer at any cost.

Sihung City, in pursuing the Sihung Bagot New City project, agreed with the 51st Division to relocate the air defense position to Maesong-myeon in Hwaseong after multiple rounds of consultations beginning in 2012, citing potential height restrictions on apartment construction. The city submitted a memorandum of understanding to the Ministry of Defense.

Sihung City and the 51st Division proceeded with the relocation plan without holding a single consultation with Hwaseong City, the party directly affected by the relocation. Only after receiving a document supplementation directive from the Ministry of Defense did Sihung City request relocation consultations with Hwaseong, revealing the full scope of the air defense position relocation plan. The plan has since faced backlash from both residents in the affected area and the political community.

Upon hearing news of the air defense position's relocation to Hwaseong, a resident of Maesong-myeon expressed strong opposition, stating: "Attempting to pass on disadvantages to residents of other municipalities for Sihung City's profit-driven project is selfish and incomprehensible by common sense," and added, "Already constrained in property rights for over 30 years by green belt restrictions, now they seek to impose a new regulatory burden in the form of height limitations."

Hwaseong City has been actively responding to the relocation, holding emergency countermeasure meetings, issuing statements opposing the relocation, and making protest visits to the Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile, Hwaseong City Council is reportedly preparing to adopt a resolution opposing the relocation.