A Shelter Was Built in Yeonmu Haengbok Village, but the Ministry of National Defense Notified of Agreement Termination
Reckless Project Push Despite Possible Termination Notice in the Agreement Led to Problems
The Yeonmu Haengbok Village Rest Area in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, which was established with a budget of 1.8 billion KRW, is now facing demolition just two years after its completion.
There is growing criticism that the city pushed ahead with the project despite an agreement to restore the land to its original state at the request of the Ministry of National Defense, which owns the land, resulting in a waste of 1.8 billion KRW of taxpayer money.
The Yeonmu Haengbok Village Rest Area was a major initiative promoted by former Mayor Hwang Myungseon during the 7th popularly elected administration.
The city signed a land use agreement with the Army Training Center on August 17, 2021, for a 65,000-square-meter plot in Ansimli 1-231, Yeonmu-eup, which is state-owned land managed by the Ministry of National Defense, citing the need to provide leisure spaces for local residents, conscripts, and visitors.
The city invested 1.75 billion KRW in city funds to begin construction of the Yeonmu Haengbok Village Rest Area in November 2021, completing it in June 2022.
However, in April this year, the Defense Facilities Agency of the Ministry of National Defense notified the city of the termination of the agreement, stating that 196 military apartment units would be built on the site, putting the park at risk of demolition just two years after its completion.
This is not the first time the agreement has been terminated. On February 9, 2022, while the park was still under construction, the Army Training Center notified the city of its intent to terminate the agreement, citing plans to build accommodations and a welfare town for officers. Despite this, the city reportedly insisted on proceeding with the project for the convenience of residents and conscripts.
After the original agreement with the Army Training Center lost its validity due to the center’s notice of termination in 2021, the city signed a second agreement in June 2022. The new agreement stipulated that the city would restore the land to its original state whenever the Army Training Center requested termination of use.
As a result, there is criticism that the project was destined to waste taxpayer money from the start, and suspicions have been raised that the city pushed ahead with the project recklessly ahead of the 2022 local elections.
Some in the local community are demanding a thorough audit and even a criminal investigation into the public officials and final decision-makers responsible for pushing the project, with calls to claim compensation from those involved.
Citizen A said, "They installed a massage chair in the city car for convenience, and now they're wasting tax money like this. There should be a thorough investigation and compensation should be claimed."
Citizen B commented, "I heard there was a lot of controversy in the city council at the time. If it were their own money, they wouldn’t have done this. They must be held accountable according to the law to prevent this from happening again."
A city official stated, "The Army Training Center requested only 50% restoration of the site. The planted flowers and plants will be transplanted to other parks, and since the park can no longer serve its purpose, the area will be used as a parking lot."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
