Yongin City: "No Selection of Contractor for Army Aviation Unit Relocation... Caution Advised for Investment"

"Many Considerations Including Government Consultations and Alternative Sites"

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has urged caution regarding investment in the development of the Army Aviation Unit site in Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu. They explained that nothing has been finalized at this point.

On the 23rd, Yongin City stated in a press release, "There have been reports that some private businesses are claiming to be the project implementers of the Army Aviation Unit relocation project, but this is not true."

The city explained, "The relocation of the aviation unit is an issue that must be achieved through consensus with local residents and in-depth discussions with the central government," adding, "The time has not yet come to select a project implementer."

The military base relocation project is carried out according to the Ministry of National Defense's directive, which involves creating replacement facilities at the relocation site and donating them, while promoting the existing site through an urban development project method. Regarding this, the city stated, "There is nothing to inform citizens about at this stage because there are many matters to be carefully considered, such as the issue of securing a replacement site." There has been no significant progress yet on the key issue of securing a replacement site.

The Army Aviation Unit was established in 1975 on a 300,000㎡ site in Jeondae-ri, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu. Since then, areas within a 4 km radius, including Jeondae, Dunjeon, Samgye, Yuwun, and Sinwon-ri, have been designated as military facility protection zones under the Military Facilities Protection Act, strictly limiting development activities for nearly 50 years.

Discussions about relocating the base surfaced in 2001. As urbanization progressed, residents who experienced inconveniences in their daily lives increasingly called for the base to be relocated. In 2015, Yongin City requested the Ministry of National Defense to negotiate a "donation and transfer project" providing a replacement site, and the Ministry conditionally agreed the following year. However, since a suitable replacement site has not been found, the relocation discussions are reportedly at a standstill.