Gyeonggi-do and Pocheon-si Visit Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to Urge Designation of 'Opportunity Development Zone'

Urging the Designation of Opportunity Development Zone in Northern Gyeonggi Border Area, Government Remains Silent
Gyeonggi Province and Pocheon Visit Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Local Era Committee to Press for Special Zone Designation
Border Area Residents Face Daily Anxiety and 75 Years of Sacrifice, Government-Level Measures Needed

Gyeonggi Province, together with Pocheon City, visited the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Local Era Committee in Sejong City to discuss the Opportunity Development Zone in Pocheon City, which suffered damage from the accidental bombing, and strongly requested its designation, the province announced on the 3rd.

Gyeonggi Province, together with Pocheon City, visited the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Local Era Committee to discuss the Pocheon City Opportunity Development Zone, which was damaged by the friendly fire accident, and strongly requested its designation. A house damaged by the Air Force fighter jet friendly fire accident. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

This visit came after sending official letters urging the designation of the Opportunity Development Zone to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Local Era Committee twice, on March 12 and 20, but receiving no response.

The province emphasized that, considering the economic sacrifices and daily anxieties experienced by residents in the border areas where 42.3% of the total area of northern Gyeonggi is a military protection zone, mid- to long-term measures are needed not only for damage recovery but also to revitalize the local economy. Among these measures, the designation of Pocheon City as an Opportunity Development Zone is necessary. Given the growing anger of residents living in the northern Gyeonggi border area due to ongoing military-related accidents, fundamental countermeasures are required.

Meanwhile, the Opportunity Development Zone, promoted as a national agenda by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is a system that revitalizes the local economy by granting tax and other benefits to special zone companies to attract regional investment. Upon designation, various tax and regulatory exemptions are provided, making it a groundbreaking opportunity for regional development.

According to Article 23 of the Local Decentralization Balanced Development Act, areas designated by the Local Era Committee among 10 cities and counties in the metropolitan area border regions and population decline areas (Gyeonggi and Incheon) are eligible to apply. However, the Local Era Committee has not established guidelines for the metropolitan area for over two years since the law was enacted, so Gyeonggi Province has not even been able to apply to date.

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province once again urged the government to ▲ establish application guidelines for the metropolitan area Opportunity Development Zone by the Local Era Committee and ▲ proceed with the application process for the Opportunity Development Zone in the northern Gyeonggi border area by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Seong In-jae, Gyeonggi Province’s Balanced Development Officer, said, “We will take full responsibility to support Pocheon, where the accidental bombing occurred, beyond short-term damage recovery, so that daily life and community recovery can be achieved,” adding, “Institutional support at the government level is necessary for long-term regional recovery and development, and one of these is the designation of the Opportunity Development Zone.”