Busan City Holds Nation's First Negotiation and Mediation Council Meeting

Development of Hanjin CY Site, Public-Private Negotiations Officially Launched

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Yoseop] Busan City held the first Negotiation Adjustment Council nationwide on the 20th under the prior negotiation system.

According to Busan City on the 22nd, this Negotiation Adjustment Council was promoted to prevent allegations of preferential treatment related to the development project of the Hanjin Container Yard (CY) site, secure transparency of the project, and strengthen public interest.

The prior negotiation system is a system in which Busan City, private proposers, and external experts collectively negotiate and decide on changes in land use zones and acceptance of development plans for idle land over 5,000㎡ or large-scale facility relocation sites within urban areas.

This system has the advantage of establishing reasonable development plans for undervalued land, enhancing transparency and public interest through development plans involving public, private, and expert participation, and contributing to the public by donating part of the land price increase. However, if the recovery of development profits is insufficient in terms of social sentiment, it has the limitation of raising suspicions of preferential treatment.

Busan City plans to mediate the interests of both sides and derive reasonable alternatives through the Negotiation Adjustment Council, which consists of negotiation teams from both public and private sectors as well as external experts in urban planning, architecture, and transportation fields.

At the council held this time, it is known that the contents discussed by related departments so far and opinions presented during citizen forums and urban planning consultations were conveyed to the private side.

Busan City plans to continue discussions through the Negotiation Adjustment Council by detailed agenda items to realize harmonious urban planning with surrounding areas.

Kwon Soon-gap, head of Busan City Urban Planning Division, said, “We will continue to strive to block allegations of preferential treatment through clear management principles, transparent discussion procedures, and formation of social consensus, and to achieve planned development where public and private sectors can win-win together.”