Seoul City Councilor Park Sang-gu Establishes Institutional Foundation for Infrastructure Installation Fund Creation

The 'Ordinance on the Establishment of Infrastructure Installation Fund' Proposed by Representative Passed the Seoul Metropolitan Council Plenary Session... Expected Installation of Public Facilities in Vulnerable Areas at the Right Time and Place

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Seoul Metropolitan Council's Urban Planning and Management Committee member Park Sang-gu (Democratic Party, Gangseo 1) who sponsored the ordinance on the Seoul Metropolitan Infrastructure Installation Fund had it finally approved at the Seoul Metropolitan Council plenary session on the 6th.

This enacted ordinance aims to establish the basis for the fund, its formation resources, and usage to install public facilities in areas with weak infrastructure by utilizing public contributions from urban planning changes on private land. It was re-enacted because the existing ordinance lost its effect with the expiration of the fund's duration ('18.12.31.).

Seoul Councilor Park Sang-gu pointed out during the 289th extraordinary session of the Urban Planning and Management Committee's public development planning team report in September last year that since the ordinance was enacted in 2014, there had been no performance in forming or operating the infrastructure installation fund, and despite the expiration of the fund's duration, the responsible department took no action. He argued that the ordinance needed to be abolished and re-enacted.

Councilor Park stated, “At the beginning of last year, institutional improvements were made such as easing the requirements for preliminary negotiation target sites (from 10,000㎡ or more to 5,000㎡ or more) and expanding the fund's usage due to the revision of the Enforcement Decree of the National Land Planning Act. At the end of last year, the ordinance on the operation of preliminary negotiations for urban planning changes in Seoul was newly enacted, establishing an institutional foundation for activating preliminary negotiations and securing fund resources. Therefore, stable fund operation is expected in the future, which led me to propose this ordinance.”

Finally, Councilor Park Sang-gu requested, “After the ordinance is enacted, the Seoul Metropolitan Government should establish an effective fund operation plan to ensure that the installation of public facilities (public facilities, infrastructure, public rental housing, dormitories, etc.) in vulnerable areas can be carried out timely and appropriately, and strive to secure fairness and efficiency in fund operation.”