Central Government States "Urban Development Act Application is Lawful" ... Will Changwon City's Masan Marine New Town Development Project Gain Momentum?

Disclosure of Official Responses to Inquiries from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

Changwon City Hall, Gyeongnam.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Attention is focused on whether the project will gain momentum following the central government’s response that the application of the Urban Development Act is lawful in the public offering for Masanhangyo New City in Changwon, Gyeongnam.

On the 11th of last month, the Special Committee for Administrative Affairs Investigation requested inquiries to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety after disagreements arose between Changwon City and others regarding the application of the Urban Development Act and the Local Contract Act during the public offering process for the New City.

The official letter containing the reply was delivered to the city through Gyeongnam Province on the 21st and the related content was disclosed at the 8th meeting of the Administrative Affairs Investigation on the 24th.

According to the city, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport responded, “Matters necessary such as the composition of the selection review committee and evaluation criteria are determined by the project implementer in accordance with the Urban Development Act.”

It further stated, “Whether the Local Contract Act applies should be judged considering the legislative intent, purpose, and legal relationships of the Local Contract Act, so please inquire with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which oversees the law.”

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety also replied, “The public offering for the private complex development implementer of Masanhangyo New City conducted under the Urban Development Act is not a matter related to the Local Contract Act, so it is not subject to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s authoritative interpretation.”

The city explained that the selection review process was evaluated based on relevant laws and the public offering guidelines, and was ruled lawful, and that there were no issues even when looking at similar authoritative interpretation cases from the Ministry of Government Legislation.

Regarding the dismissal decision by the first trial court of Changwon District Court on the provisional injunction request, it emphasized that the Busan High Court also upheld the first trial decision as legitimate and dismissed the case.

A table summarizing the responses received by Changwon City from central government departments and others.

The city stated, “The central government also replied that matters necessary such as the composition of the private complex development implementer selection review committee and evaluation criteria under the Urban Development Act are determined by the implementer and are not matters related to the Local Contract Act,” adding, “It is time to stop unnecessary controversy and consider the development direction of the maritime city for the citizens.”