The Ministry of the Interior and Safety noted on the 26th that it has designated the jurisdiction of the 'Dongsuh Road' as Kimje, North Jeolla Province.
Dongsuh Road is a 16.4-kilometer-long road connecting the Saemangeum New Port and Jinbong-myeon in Kimje. It opened in 2020.
However, since the road opened, the city of Gunsan and Kimje have claimed 'their territory.' There has been a conflict over the jurisdiction in the Saemangeum area, which was created by reclaiming the sea.
These local governments are also disputing the jurisdiction of the Saemangeum New Port breakwater and the operational rights of the Saemangeum New Port.
The procedure for determining jurisdiction over the reclaimed land begins with an application from the licensing authority or relevant local government heads, according to the Local Government Act. If there are no objections to the application, the Minister decides, but if there are differences between local governments, it is decided through the Central Dispute Mediation Committee.
Both Gunsan and Kimje applied for jurisdiction over Dongsuh Road in August 2021. Accordingly, the committee collected opinions and conducted local investigations on ten occasions.
As a result, the committee decided that the jurisdiction area for Dongsuh Road would be Kimje. It comprehensively reviewed factors such as the overall jurisdiction structure of the planned reclamation site, efficient use, and the convenience of residents, as outlined in previous Supreme Court rulings on jurisdiction determinations for reclaimed land.
Once the Ministry of the Interior and Safety informs the local governments of the decision, the local governments will register and manage the reclamation site after conducting completion inspections.
Local governments that object to this decision can file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court within 15 days from the date they receive the notification.