Posted on : Jan.9,2020 18:07 KST
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The main entrance to US military base Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province. (Hankyoreh archives)
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Joint civilian/govt team to spearhead development efforts for returned areas
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The main entrance to US military base Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province. (Hankyoreh archives)
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Gyeonggi Province has begun operation of a joint civilian/government task force formed to promote the swift transfer of US bases targeted for return, along with state-led development efforts tailored to local conditions.
On the afternoon of Jan. 8, the province held a sign-hanging ceremony at its northern complex for the “Task Force for the swift return of US military grant areas and state-led development,” followed by an inaugural meeting. The task force was created to promote the reflection of effective alternatives in light of local conditions after the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) commissioned “policy research on measures for early promotion of returned grant areas” for state-led development in November of last year.
The task force is co-chaired by the Gyeonggi Province second vice governor for administration and vice governor for peace. Additional members include the directors of the balanced development planning office and environmental bureau, deputy chiefs of six cities/counties in the province (Paju, Uijeongbu, Yangju, Pocheon, Dongducheon, and Yeoncheon), research staff from the Gyeonggi Research Institute, and university professors.
The task force’s efforts include analyzing problem areas with undeveloped US grant areas that have been returned and holding focused discussions on plans for promotion the development of adjacent regions, including long-term rentals, installment-based repayment of last costs, and public development.
The task force also plans to gather opinions from local governments and experts to actively propose to the central government, while cooperating with the central government toward legal amendments and institutional improvements to promote private investment and increase state support. It also plans to conduct monitoring of areas adjacent to the bases to assess environmental contamination and develop response plans to prevent spreading from contaminated areas.
“We hope that the formation of this task force will result in development models for substantively resolving issues concerning returned US military bases,” said Lee Hwa-young, the Gyeonggi Province vice governor for peace.
A total of 22 US military bases targeted for return are located in five cities within Gyeonggi Province, covering a collective area of 72,435,312 square meters. Development has been completed for one of them, with development projects under way for nine more. Six remain undeveloped, and another six have yet to be returned.
By Park Kyung-man, North Gyeonggi correspondent
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
