Since the MB government’s term in 2008, the first increase in the area that can be lifted from Green Belt (GB) restrictions has been announced. Three sites in Busan, one in Daegu, three in Gwangju, one in Daejeon, three in Ulsan, and four in Changwon have been selected. The initiative plans to invest 27.8 trillion won, expecting a production-inducing effect of 124.5 trillion won and the creation of 380,000 jobs.
According to an announcement by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, a total of 15 sites in six regions, including Busan’s Second Eco Delta City and Daejeon’s Nano Semiconductor National Industrial Complex, have been selected as non-capital region national and regional strategic project areas where GB restrictions will be lifted. This selection, made official in a cabinet meeting on the 25th, follows last year’s civil discussion on GB regulation innovation conducted in Ulsan.
Out of 33 applications, three projects in the Busan area, such as the Northeast Asia Logistics Platform, Second Eco Delta City, and Advanced Science Park, have been selected. In Daegu, the relocation of the agricultural and fishery wholesale market was chosen. Three projects in Gwangju, including the Future Car National Industrial Complex, Nano Second General Industrial Complex, and Damyang Second General Industrial Complex, were selected, along with the Nano Semiconductor National Industrial Complex in Daejeon, three projects in Ulsan including the Hydrogen Fusion Complex Valley Industrial Complex, and four projects in Changwon including Jinhae New Port Hinterland Complex.
These strategic projects for national and regional development foresaw projects with a strong economic impact and potential for revitalizing local economies. Specifically, out of the 15 sites selected, 10 are industrial or logistics complexes with high demand and feasibility. The government plans to proceed with lifting GB restrictions, beginning as early as the first half of next year, following related administrative procedures such as interagency consultations and preliminary feasibility studies.
Jin Hyun-hwan, the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated that while preserving the value of the GB remains fundamental, this selection represents a bold regulatory innovation to inject vitality into regions. The ministry aims to manage the relevant systems actively, ensuring that the GB system becomes an opportunity for regional growth rather than an obstacle.