Civic Group: "Developing an Artificial Island in Boryeong, Which Already Has Numerous Inhabited and Uninhabited Islands, Is Incomprehensible"
Council Member Lee Jeonggeun: "Pushing for Large-Scale Development Amid Declining National Tax Revenue Is Irresponsible Administration"
Kim Dongil, the mayor of Boryeong City in South Chungcheong Province, is facing strong criticism from the local community over his overseas business trip to benchmark 'artificial islands'.
According to Boryeong City, Mayor Kim went on an overseas trip to Dubai from the 8th to the 12th to study advanced cases related to artificial islands.
Mayor Kim has previously announced plans to create a 'marine future city' by building a 99,000-square-meter artificial island off Daecheon Beach, equipped with a resort, casino, and marine research facilities.
However, this plan has not even completed a feasibility study yet. Without gathering public opinion or providing proper explanations to citizens, he pushed ahead with the overseas trip, hoping to attract 1.5 trillion won in private investment.
A city official introduced the artificial island as a 'climate change response-type marine city' and mentioned the interest expressed by the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, but it is known that this was merely a level of interest, not a concrete investment promise.
There are also criticisms that the 'plant technology' concept, which utilizes climate change and tidal differences, still lacks specificity and scientific feasibility verification.
A representative of a Boryeong civic group said, "It is an incomprehensible idea for Boryeong, which already has numerous inhabited and uninhabited islands, to insist on developing an artificial island," and criticized, "Have they forgotten the situation in 2024 when the community was divided over the introduction of an off-track betting center?"
Lee Jeonggeun, a member of the Boryeong City Council, also pointed out, "Although this project is said to be a private investment project, it will inevitably require considerable administrative resources and budget from Boryeong City," adding, "Pushing for large-scale development at a time when even local grants have been cut by nearly 100 billion won in two years due to a decrease in national tax revenue is irresponsible administration."
He continued, "There are doubts about the feasibility of this project, and even if it is realized, it is questionable whether Boryeong citizens will actually benefit."
Major marine tourism projects in Boryeong, such as the Wonsando Daemyung Sono Resort and Oseom Island, have also come under renewed scrutiny.
In particular, as Sono International Co., Ltd. announced a "comprehensive review of the project's direction," there is now a possibility that the Wonsando development plan could be scrapped. This issue could deal a blow to the entire 'Korean-style Kakun' concept promoted by South Chungcheong Province and Boryeong City.
Kim Taeheum, the governor of South Chungcheong Province, also recently pointed out the omission of plans for the Oseom Island project at an executive meeting and ordered the administration to focus its efforts. In this situation, Mayor Kim's artificial island plan is drawing criticism for only increasing fatigue and distrust among citizens.
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