Negotiation Adjustment Council Convenes to Discuss Project Plan and Public Contributions
Preliminary Negotiations to Conclude This Year, Construction to Begin in Second Half of Next Year
"Putting Citizens' Interests First... Swift, Fair, and Transparent Negotiations"
Gwangju City held the "1st Negotiation Adjustment Council for the Preliminary Negotiation on the Urban Planning Change of Gwangcheon Terminal" on the 2nd at the city hall's main conference room. Photo by Gwangju City
Gwangju City and Gwangju Shinsegae Co., Ltd. have officially begun discussions regarding the project plan and public contribution measures for the Gwangcheon Terminal complex development. Following Gwangju Shinsegae's submission of the "The Great Gwangju - Gwangju General Bus Terminal Development Plan Preliminary Negotiation Project Proposal" on June 18, Gwangju City launched a Negotiation Adjustment Council composed of public officials, private sector representatives, and external experts.
On July 2, Gwangju City held the "1st Negotiation Adjustment Council for the Preliminary Negotiation on the Urban Planning Change of Gwangcheon Terminal" at the city hall's main conference room. The Negotiation Adjustment Council is a preliminary negotiation procedure conducted prior to urban planning changes, based on Gwangju City's ordinances. The council facilitates the exchange of opinions and consultations on the project plan and public contribution plan proposed by the developer. The aim is to ensure public interest in the development, based on consensus between the public and private sectors. Public contributions agreed upon during the preliminary negotiation will be used for the installation of public facilities for citizens, such as roads and parks.
The meeting was attended by 12 members of the Negotiation Adjustment Council: 4 from the public sector, 4 from the private sector, and 4 external experts. The public sector was represented by the Director of Citizen Safety, Director of Urban Space, and Head of Urban Planning from Gwangju City, as well as the Head of Environment and Transportation from Seo-gu District. The private sector was represented by officials from Gwangju Shinsegae Co., Ltd., and the external experts included professors specializing in urban planning, architecture, and transportation, as well as a member of the Gwangju City Council.
During the meeting, an explanation of the council's operation plan was provided, and the main contents of the project proposal submitted by Gwangju Shinsegae, the project implementer, were shared. The participants also discussed the topics to be addressed in future negotiations. In particular, they reviewed how the developer plans to fulfill the conditions presented during the selection of the negotiation site and finalized the agenda for the next meeting.
The city plans to comprehensively review Shinsegae's project proposal and public contribution plan through this council, and will closely coordinate matters such as changes to the urban management plan for the urban planning facility (bus terminal site) and the scale of public contributions.
In particular, the city aims to complete the preliminary negotiations by the second half of this year, finalize follow-up administrative procedures such as changes to the district unit plan in the first half of next year, and begin construction in the second half of 2026.
Park Geumhwa, Director of Urban Space, stated, "The Gwangcheon Terminal complex project is a large-scale initiative that will transform the area into a future-oriented multi-functional urban space integrating transportation, commerce, and culture. It will serve as a new growth engine for Gwangju by increasing the urban population, attracting more tourists, and revitalizing the local economy. We will coordinate the project in a way that benefits both citizens and the city as a whole through swift, fair, and transparent negotiations."
Meanwhile, after Gwangju Shinsegae submitted an application to review the Gwangcheon Terminal development plan in August last year, the city held consultations with 11 related departments and agencies, formed and operated a joint expert task force, held meetings with civic groups, and sought advice from joint (urban planning and architecture) committees. As a result, Gwangcheon Terminal was selected as the negotiation site in October last year.
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