'False Start' Han Georeum Model... Hadong Alps Project Fails to Reach Agreement

Adjustment Committee: "Must Receive Evaluation from Authorized Institution After Finalizing Specific Plan"
Only One of the Three Han-georeum Models Agreed Upon So Far

The Committee Against the Jirisan Mountain Railway and others held a press conference on the morning of the 19th of last month in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, condemning the Ministry of Economy and Finance's adoption of the Jirisan Mountain Railway One-Step Model and announcing the start of a sit-in protest. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The government failed to reach a final agreement on the 'Hadong Alps Project,' which was promoted as one of the 'Han-georeum Model Priority Application Tasks,' a social compromise mechanism. Despite criticisms that it was unrealistic for the government to lead negotiations on the inherently conflicting values of 'development and environmental preservation,' the government attempted to apply the Han-georeum Model, but it ultimately ended in vain.

On the 11th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that the win-win adjustment organization failed to reach a consensus on the forest tourism project (Hadong Alps Project), one of the Han-georeum Model priority application tasks. The Ministry stated that, as a result of discussions in the win-win adjustment organization, it was decided not to amend the Mountain Management Act and the Act on the Management and Operation of National Forests, which are necessary for the Hadong Alps Project. With the failure to amend the laws, constructing large-scale recreational facilities such as resorts at the mountain summit became impossible. Although projects such as mountain railways (non-electrified trains), cable cars, and monorails, which can be installed without legal amendments, still have room for scale adjustment and promotion, the situation requires restarting discussions from scratch. Various opinions were raised regarding the existing project plan, including complete cancellation, proceeding as originally planned, or supplementary review, but the win-win adjustment organization did not reach a conclusion.

The win-win adjustment organization recommended that Hadong County collect residents' opinions from the ground up to resolve conflicts and reconfirm the project plan. Economic feasibility and environmental impact will be judged through legal procedures such as evaluations by authorized institutions after the project plan is reconfirmed.

The Hadong Alps Project is a project to install and operate a non-electrified train (12 km), cable car (3.6 km), and monorail (2.2 km) in the areas of Hwagae, Agyang, and Cheongam in Hadong County, Gyeongnam Province, to revitalize local tourism and boost the regional economy. Hadong County and developers proposed amendments to related laws, citing the need for development to activate forest tourism in response to new tourism demand, but facing restrictions due to environmental and mountain regulations. They also argued that eco-friendly development is possible due to technological advancements. However, environmental groups opposed the project, expressing concerns about irreversible forest damage if the project proceeds and warning that amending the proposed laws could lead to indiscriminate emergence of second and third Alps projects. Deterioration of residents' living environment due to increased tourists was also cited as a reason for opposition.

Since the Hadong Alps Project was selected as a Han-georeum Model priority application task, seven plenary meetings, more than 20 small group meetings, and field investigations involving environmental groups, local residents, and related experts were conducted through the win-win adjustment organization. During this process, the adjustment organization confirmed the need to judge economic feasibility and environmental impact through procedures stipulated by relevant laws, such as evaluations by authorized institutions, after Hadong County finalizes a specific plan by collecting residents' opinions. Accordingly, related ministries decided not to amend the related laws such as the Mountain Management Act and the Act on the Management and Operation of National Forests proposed by Hadong County, and recommended that Hadong County faithfully collect residents' opinions and resolve conflicts among residents based on the adjustment organization's discussions. After five months of adjustment, the parties were concluded to continue further negotiations.

With the failure to lead negotiations on forest tourism this time, only the rural vacant house utilization shared accommodation (pilot project demonstration exception allowed) among the three candidate tasks remains as an achievement. Urban shared accommodation is still in the process of finalizing key issues. Ultimately, only one of the three tasks has yielded results so far.