[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Civic groups have called for the immediate suspension of the Pyeongdong Semi-Industrial Area Urban Development Project in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, after a large corporation was selected as the negotiation candidate, accusing it of enriching conglomerates.
On the 4th, Participation and Autonomy 21 stated in a press release, “Gwangju City’s selection of the Hyundai Engineering consortium as the preferred negotiator for the Pyeongdong Semi-Industrial Area Urban Development Project after deliberation on the 3rd is a special favor to conglomerate companies disguised as fairness.”
They added, “The project site has long been a source of frequent complaints from residents due to pollution and living condition issues,” and “Gwangju City itself has been the main party claiming that the ‘large-scale housing development project’ proposed as a countermeasure to related complaints is not feasible.”
They continued, “However, in July last year, Gwangju City suddenly changed its stance after Jungheung Construction Co., Ltd. effectively took charge of applying for the ‘Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) regional development public project,’” explaining, “After failing in the MOLIT public competition, the city declared it would promote the project at the municipal level by attracting private investment, and in October of the same year, began the private business operator recruitment for the Pyeongdong Semi-Industrial Area Urban Development Project, leading to the current situation.”
The group claimed, “Jungheung Construction Co., Ltd. was the one who created Gwangju City’s project plan during the MOLIT public project and received 100 million won for research service fees,” and “Jungheung Construction Co., Ltd. is also participating as a business operator in the Hyundai Engineering consortium, which was selected as the preferred negotiator for the Pyeongdong Semi-Industrial Area Urban Development Project, raising suspicions that this is a quid pro quo for the city passing on the previous MOLIT public project plan.”
The organization stated, “Gwangju City must answer whether this project is truly for the citizens or a special favor granted to a few conglomerates.”
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