Yeo: "Special Act on Aging New Towns to Pass Within the Year"... Bill to Be Submitted to the Subcommittee on the 29th

Ruling Party and Government to Hold Meeting with 1st Phase New Town Residents on the 21st

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, stated on the 21st that the Special Act on Aging Planned Cities, which includes increasing the floor area ratio of first-generation new towns such as Bundang, Ilsan, Jungdong, Pyeongchon, and Sanbon, "should be passed within this year."

On the afternoon of the same day, Kim held a meeting with representatives of residents from the first-generation new towns at the National Assembly and said, "Since these new towns were created under a state-led plan, it would be best to solve the problems through state-led efforts, as I believe that is the responsibility of the state."

Kim especially welcomed the Democratic Party of Korea's agreement on the necessity of this special law. He said, "We proposed the special law, but since we are not the majority party, it was stalled in the committee and faced difficulties in passing. I am very pleased that the Democratic Party has recently changed to a more progressive stance."

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is speaking at a residents' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st to urge the passage of the Special Act on the Maintenance of Aging Planned Cities within the year. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who also attended the meeting, said, "I hope the special law will definitely be passed within this year," adding, "Only then can we finalize the maintenance policy and maintenance plan in the new year and designate pilot districts, thereby delivering a tangible schedule for full-scale promotion to the residents as a gift."

Representatives of residents from first-generation new towns created in the 1990s, including Sanbon, Bundang, Ilsan, and Anyang, attended the meeting. After delivering a 'Request for Enactment of the Special Act' to Kim, they made their demands through individual speeches.

Park Si-sam, a resident representative from Bundang, appealed, "When I sleep at night, I can hear noises from the upstairs and downstairs neighbors, not only noise but also whispering sounds and even the vibration noise of phones," adding, "The previous administration blocked reconstruction. If the special law is not passed, we cannot prepare for reconstruction."

Choi Woo-sik, chairman of the First Generation New Town Comprehensive Reconstruction Association, pointed out the need for concrete measures such as relocation plans after maintenance begins. He said, "Wouldn't it be more tangible to owners and residents if the central government or local governments secure relocation complexes and later the private sector supplements any shortages?" He added, "It is somewhat regrettable that only the floor area ratio and zoning upgrades are focused on while the Pandora's box remains closed without visible measures."

Minister Won responded, "Specifically, the local council must approve it for it to become a maintenance plan," explaining, "Rather than solving everything at the entrance, we plan to quickly reach an agreement on possibilities and procedural discussions at the entrance to pass the law, and then develop the framework gradually along the way."

The People Power Party plans to submit and process the special law at the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's bill subcommittee on the 29th. Kim Jung-jae, a member of the Land Committee and party whip, told reporters after the meeting, "Since the Democratic Party views this positively on a large scale, we expect it to definitely pass on the 29th."

However, regarding Democratic Party members of the Land Committee announcing plans to promote the 'Urban Redevelopment Act' for the maintenance of local old downtown areas along with the special law, Kim said, "That part has not even been read once in the standing committee and has not been discussed at all," adding, "Since discussions could be prolonged, attaching conditions such as simultaneous passage is not appropriate."