Pyeongtaek City Faces Halt in Museum Construction "Will Reapply for Review"

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Returns Central Investment Review
Benefits and Operating Revenue Must Be Recalculated

Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province has expressed its intention to reapply for the central investment review by supplementing the feasibility of the municipal museum construction project, which was rejected in the initial review.

Perspective rendering of Pyeongtaek Museum planned to be established in Hambaksan Park, Godeok International New City, Pyeongtaek-si. Provided by Pyeongtaek-si.

On the 5th, Pyeongtaek City explained that it plans to promptly reapply for the review of the Pyeongtaek Museum construction project, which was rejected by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's central investment review, as soon as the detailed design is completed.

The Pyeongtaek Museum construction project is a plan to build a facility with a total floor area of 7,370㎡ on a 11,780㎡ site within Hambaksan Park in Godeok International New City.

This project passed the preliminary evaluation by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2021 and subsequently received conditional approval with six conditions, including 'central investment review after detailed design,' from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in the following year.

However, the project was rejected in this year's central investment review. The reason was the failure to fulfill one of the six conditions set by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, specifically the condition to "recalculate benefits and operating balance based on objective demand."

The central investment review is a procedure established to examine the feasibility of large-scale investment projects to prevent indiscriminate budget waste and to operate finances efficiently. Projects involving local government finances must undergo local financial feasibility studies and central investment reviews before budget allocation. If the review is not passed, the related project cannot be included in the budget.

The city plans to strengthen the necessity and feasibility of the project through re-examination by thoroughly reviewing the museum's revenue plans and benefits and operating balance based on objective demand.

The city will focus on completing the detailed design, conduct an economic review of the design details, prepare a resubmission plan, and request a re-examination from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in January next year. However, the rejection in this review raises concerns about delays in the city's original plan to start construction of the museum next year.

A city official said, "Once the Pyeongtaek Museum is built, it will form the best cultural cluster in Pyeongtaek along with the Pyeongtaek Art Center, Central Library, and Children's Creative Experience Center," adding, "We plan to make thorough preparations to sufficiently supplement the review points and receive a positive evaluation in the re-examination."