Urgent Call for Strong Response Including Revision of Related Guidelines
"The relocation of the core departments of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute within Jinju Innovation City to other regions is absolutely unacceptable."
On the 25th, Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, said this during a meeting with Woo Dong-gi, Chairman of the Local Era Committee.
Gyeongnam Province Governor Park Wansu (right) is meeting with U Donggi, Chairman of the Local Era Committee, expressing opposition to the re-relocation of public institutions that moved to Jinju Innovation City. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]
Governor Park stated, "There has been tremendous local opposition recently regarding the relocation of the core departments of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute," and added, "Our Gyeongnam Province strongly opposes this."
He suggested revising the related guidelines, saying, "Even relocations from one local area to another require amendments to the relevant guidelines," and proposed revisions to the Special Act on the Creation and Development of Innovation Cities and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's guidelines on post-relocation management measures for public institutions relocated to local areas.
Governor Park emphasized, "The re-relocation of some departments of public institutions contradicts the fundamental purpose of establishing innovation cities for national balanced development."
He continued, "In a situation where companies are relocating to local areas due to the designation of opportunity development zones, the re-relocation of public institutions goes against the government's regional balanced development policy," and requested, "Please respond strongly to prevent public institutions from relocating to non-capital metropolitan cities."
Chairman Kim Jin-bu and members of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council are issuing a statement opposing the re-relocation of the Defense Technology Research Institute within Jinju Innovation City. [Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]
Earlier, on the 23rd, Gyeongnam Province sent an official letter to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration requesting the withdrawal of the plan to relocate departments of public institutions within Gyeongnam Innovation City.
To prevent recurrence of similar cases such as the re-relocation of public institutions outside the metropolitan area, the province also proposed amendments to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding post-relocation management measures for public institutions relocated to local areas.
The Gyeongnam Provincial Council, Jinju City Council, and the Chairpersons' Council of Gyeongnam City and County Councils also raised their voices in unison by holding a press conference urging the withdrawal of the review of the re-relocation of core departments of institutions relocated to innovation cities.
They pointed out, "This not only goes against the fundamental purpose of national land balanced development and the construction of innovation cities but is also a cunning relocation exploiting loopholes in the laws related to innovation cities," and added, "The relocation of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute shakes Gyeongnam's defense and defense industry policies and contradicts the government's policy to foster Gyeongnam as a K-Defense industry hub."
According to the province, if a relocated public institution wants to change its originally approved plan, it must undergo review by the Local Era Committee and obtain approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in accordance with Article 4 of the Innovation City Act.
However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the relevant institution maintain the position that, according to the Ministry's guidelines, changes subject to review are limited to establishing new organizations or retaining new personnel within the metropolitan area, and relocations to non-metropolitan areas are not subject to change review.
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