South Korea is set to relax regulations on protected green areas, allowing for development projects in provincial regions. President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the potential economic benefits of easing restrictions on designated greenbelt zones during a policy debate held in Ulsan.
Yoon highlighted the importance of boosting the economy by loosening regulations on land development in greenbelt zones, noting that such restrictions often hinder efforts to establish high-tech industrial complexes in regional areas.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has announced plans to overhaul land regulations, marking the first comprehensive review of such policies in two decades. Speaking to approximately 100 participants, Yoon highlighted the need to address the one-size-fits-all approach to greenbelt designations, mainly focusing on factors like land elevation and slope that have historically hindered development in these areas.
Under the proposed changes, regulations governing conservation areas with adequate urban infrastructure nearby will also be relaxed to facilitate economic utilization of the land.
The president further emphasized the importance of updating regulations related to farmland use, citing the potential for creating high-added value through innovative farming technologies such as smart farms and vertical farming.
Yoon’s remarks came during the 13th “People’s Livelihood Debate with the People” in Ulsan, where he underscored the government’s commitment to responding to economic needs and citizen demands by reconsidering greenbelt designations, even in regions like Ulsan, where conservation grades are high.
Previous administrations, including former presidents Kim Dae-Jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Lee Myung-bak, and Park Geun-hye, have collectively reduced the protected area by 30 percent without introducing additional greenbelt designations. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s proposed relief measures aim to support regions like Ulsan, a longstanding industrial hub, in overcoming obstacles to transformation and fostering new strategic industries.
In Ulsan, approximately 20 percent of the land is designated as greenbelt, with restrictions on any land development activities, accounting for 80 percent of the city’s total greenbelt areas, including areas suitable for development. The presence of protected greenfields within Ulsan has hindered the city’s efforts to establish new industrial zones, particularly following its urban expansion three decades ago. President Yoon emphasized the need to adapt policies to current economic and urban development trends, suggesting that the Greenbelt policy, while once instrumental in promoting orderly development, now impedes job creation and the establishment of cutting-edge industrial complexes.
In addition to addressing greenbelt regulations, the Yoon administration has proposed revisions to farmland regulations to stimulate economic growth. Under the Farmland Act, converting agricultural land for non-farming purposes is strictly prohibited.
However, starting in the year’s first half, the government will accept applications to develop farmland located on the periphery of roads, residential complexes, or industrial complexes. Furthermore, the administration plans to ease farming regulations related to the construction of vertical farming facilities, allowing for the placement of makeshift buildings to facilitate vertical farming practices on agricultural land.
