The government's plan to lift the development restriction zones (greenbelts) outside the capital to foster national and regional strategic projects has received positive evaluations for its potential to achieve balanced regional development. Since the purpose of lifting the greenbelt is not for development profits like building apartments, it is believed that jobs will be created, leading to population influx and enhanced urban vitality. However, there are concerns that simply establishing regional strategic industrial complexes will not attract corporations, and additional measures for attracting companies must be prepared.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has selected national and regional strategic projects outside the capital on the 25th and made it possible to lift the greenbelt in those areas. These project sites are not subject to the total application of greenbelt lifting. In principle, if environmentally evaluated areas graded 1-2, where lifting the greenbelt was not possible, are included, it may be lifted under the condition of designating alternative sites.
The national and regional strategic project sites selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport include ▲ Busan Northeast Asia Logistics Platform, 2nd Eco Delta City, Advanced Science Park ▲ Daegu Agricultural and Fishery Wholesale Market transfer ▲ Gwangju Future Vehicle National Industrial Complex ▲ Jangseong NANO 2nd General Industrial Complex ▲ Damyang 2nd General Industrial Complex ▲ Daejeon NANO Semiconductor National Industrial Complex ▲ Ulsan Hydrogen Integrated Complex Valley Industrial Complex, U-Valley General Industrial Complex ▲ Seongan and Yaksal General Industrial Complexes ▲ Changwon Jinjing Port hinterland complex, urban fusion technology complex, urban living mixed complex ▲ Gimhae Chin Young General Industrial Complex, among 15 locations.
Experts evaluated that this policy could lead to balanced regional development through job creation. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport estimated that when this project is actively promoted, there will be about 124.5 trillion won in production inducement effects and about 380,000 job creation effects.
Lee Eun-hyung, a research fellow at the Korea Construction Policy Research Institute, noted, "There are forecasts that the domestic population will decrease to half of its current level in about 30 years, making regional extinction more visible. In a situation where the future of the country is uncertain, lifting the greenbelts for the purpose of fostering regional strategic industries instead of building apartments is positive."
Ham Young-jin, head of the real estate research lab at Woori Bank, said, "This is expected to help lay the groundwork for balanced regional development, creating local food sources, and enhancing self-sufficiency functions of local populations," and added, "Designating land transaction permission zones will also be positive to prevent speculative demand due to rising land prices and increased land utility."
There were also opinions that for the industrial complexes to be developed according to the government's plan and for the regional economy to be revitalized, it is necessary to attract resident companies and strengthen the organic connections between industries. Ham stated, "It will take a long time until the industrial complexes and logistics and urban development are completed, and it will also take a long time until the activation of recruiting resident companies, so it is necessary to view related projects from a long-term perspective," and added, "Just because an industrial complex is created does not mean that companies will simply come in, so local governments need to provide tax incentives or other additional considerations to attract companies and enhance the organic connections between industries."
Experts evaluate that the concern over the destruction of greenbelts is not significant, as the condition for lifting the greenbelt for areas graded 1-2 is the designation of alternative sites. The research fellow said, "Since the content of designating alternative sites for the greenbelt is included, the burden of lifting the greenbelt will be reduced."
However, there are also voices of doubt about whether this policy can gain momentum amid the impeachment politics. This is a follow-up measure to the 'greenbelt regulation innovation plan' proposed by President Yoon Seok-yeol at a Ulsan livelihood discussion forum last February.