Conditional Approval of Traffic Impact Assessment for Costco Entry in Gimhae

Parking Spaces Increased by 927, Meeting Requirements
Local Small Business Owners "Will Continue Protest Rallies"

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Son Tae-seok] The traffic impact assessment review for the entry of Costco in Gimhae, which had been blocked by opposition from local small business owners, was conditionally approved after the fourth attempt.

The Gimhae City Traffic Impact Assessment Review Committee held the '4th supplementary review' for Costco at the Haengbok Civil Service Building on the afternoon of the 22nd and approved the revised agenda.

More than 40 members of the opposition committee against the opening of Costco in Gimhae are holding a rally in front of the Haengbok Civil Complaints Office, where the traffic impact assessment is taking place on the 22nd.

Earlier, Costco submitted a supplementary plan at the review held on December 5 last year, which included ▲expanding the number of parking spaces from 850 to 927 ▲reanalysis of traffic volume forecasts within the Juchon Seoncheon district ▲expansion of the right-turn lanes at Seoncheon Intersection to two lanes.

At this supplementary review held about a month later, the committee judged that there were no major issues with the supplementary plan and approved the agenda. However, they attached a condition that if problems such as parking shortages occur after monitoring for 1 year and 6 months following 6 months after opening, further revisions must be made.

Costco had previously received a 're-evaluation after supplementation' judgment at reviews held in March, May, and June last year.

Meanwhile, about 40 local merchant association members held an opposition rally in front of the Haengbok Civil Service Building where the traffic impact assessment was held.

A merchant association official said, "Passing the traffic impact assessment is just one of several procedures," and added, "We will continue to hold opposition rallies going forward."