Buan County seeks to secure industrial land in Saemangeum plan

Buan County is focusing administrative efforts on ensuring its interests are reflected in the Saemangeum Basic Plan amendment recently announced by the Saemangeum Development Agency. Buan County Mayor Kwon Ik-hyeon has instructed officials to proactively respond to the plan, noting that for the first time in the 35-year history of the Saemangeum project, industrial land within the Buan area has been included in the proposal.

While the inclusion of industrial land offers a potential turning point for local development, the region faces ongoing challenges regarding jurisdiction. Previous decisions by the Central Dispute Mediation Committee have frequently assigned jurisdiction over Saemangeum areas—such as the East-West Road, waterfront cities, and various reclamation sites—to Gimje and Gunsan, often leaving Buan County without designated control.

Local officials are tasked with attending public briefing sessions to scrutinize infrastructure plans for power, water, and transportation, ensuring that the development timing and functional requirements for Buan are accurately integrated before the plan is finalized.