Hanam-si Achieves Rationalization of GB Regulations in Collaboration with the Office for Government Policy Coordination

Plan to Prepare Amendment to Enforcement Decree of Greenbelt Act Allowing Relocation of Manufacturing Facilities in 2025
Secured Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Interpretation After Persuasion to Enable Park Golf Courses in Greenbelt Areas

Gyeonggi Hanam City (Mayor Lee Hyun-jae) announced on the 27th that, through collaboration with the Office for Government Policy Coordination, it has achieved regulatory rationalization allowing the relocation of manufacturing businesses within the Greenbelt (GB) to nearby Greenbelt areas when they are inevitably demolished due to the implementation of public interest projects.

A view of Hanam City Hall. Provided by Hanam City

According to Hanam City, the Office for Government Policy Coordination plans to prepare a revision of the Enforcement Decree of the Greenbelt Act by the first half of 2025, allowing manufacturing businesses to relocate to nearby Greenbelt areas after consultation and coordination with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Manufacturing businesses, which are neighborhood living facilities located in Greenbelt areas, were inevitably demolished for the purpose of implementing public interest projects such as the development of the Hanam Gyosan Public Housing District, but there were no provisions under the Greenbelt Act allowing their relocation to nearby Greenbelt areas.

The prohibition of relocation for manufacturing businesses was recognized as a representative economic regulation that hinders regional growth, as it causes deterioration in the management of small and medium-sized enterprises due to decreased or halted transactions with related companies and leads to employment instability.

In particular, among the 11 types of neighborhood living facilities where relocation is permitted, such as retail stores and repair shops, it is possible to change the use to manufacturing businesses after relocation, and factories that existed since the designation of the Greenbelt can also be relocated to a limited extent. Therefore, the prohibition of relocation for existing manufacturing businesses has been perceived as a discriminatory regulation.

To resolve these issues, Hanam City continuously made proposals through the Small and Medium Business Ombudsman, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, the regular meetings of the Gyeonggi Province Mayors and County Heads Council for Greenbelt Policy Development, and the Regulatory Adjustment Office (Regulatory Sinmungo) of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

As a result, the Office for Government Policy Coordination informed that, through consultation and coordination with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it plans to prepare a revision of the Enforcement Decree of the Greenbelt Act by the first half of 2025.

There are a total of 72 manufacturing business buildings within the Greenbelt in Hanam City (out of 1,447 buildings in Gyeonggi Province). Considering manufacturing businesses in areas released from the Greenbelt due to inclusion in public interest projects such as the already announced 3rd New Town, it is expected that the difficulties voiced by small and medium-sized enterprises will be significantly alleviated through the planned revision of the Enforcement Decree next year.

Additionally, as citizens' voices calling for the creation of park golf courses for health and leisure have increased, Hanam City also succeeded in obtaining a legal interpretation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport allowing the installation of park golf courses within the Greenbelt.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had previously restricted the promotion of such projects by interpreting park golf courses as not falling under "other similar sports facilities" where outdoor sports facilities can be installed.

Hanam City visited the Regulatory Sinmungo of the Office for Government Policy Coordination to persuade that park golf courses can be considered similar sports facilities like gateball courts and grass soccer fields. As a result, on the 6th of this month, it received a legal interpretation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport that park golf courses fall under "other similar sports facilities."

Mayor Lee Hyun-jae of Hanam City stated, "Through this regulatory rationalization, we have been able to contribute to the stabilization of the lives of displaced residents who rely on manufacturing businesses incorporated into public interest projects as their livelihood base, as well as to the revitalization of the local economy. We have also created a breakthrough to establish park golf courses within the Greenbelt. Hanam City will continue to identify and improve unreasonable or excessive regulations and work closely with the Office for Government Policy Coordination to enhance the convenience of our citizens."