Special Feature Two Years of Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Development Council: Contributions and Roles in Port Development Shine Bright

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyuk] Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port is a young port that opened less than 40 years ago, yet it possesses ideal natural conditions unaffected by geographic location and natural disasters.

As a result, the port continues to achieve impressive growth, with cargo throughput of 117 million tons (as of end of 2023) and automotive cargo volume ranking first nationwide for 11 consecutive years.

However, annual taxes amounting to trillions of won go to the national treasury as central government revenue, while local governments experience negative externalities such as environmental pollution, road damage, traffic accidents, and congestion.

This has created a ceiling on upgrading port development to the next level.

The Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Development Council, assessing the situation as resulting from insufficient interest by local politicians and citizens, has been implementing the Pyeongtaek Port Promotion Academy for two years with support from Pyeongtaek city and receiving positive feedback.

As the council concludes its second year of the port academy, it will introduce the causes of rapid growth at Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port, the effects of the port academy, and the future roles of civic port organizations in three parts: upper, middle, and lower. (Editor's Note)

(Part 1) Civic Organization 'Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Development Council' is Born

◇Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Achieves Rapid Growth with Automotive Cargo Volume Ranking First Nationwide for 11 Consecutive Years

Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port, located at the center of Northeast Asia including China, Russia, South Korea, and Japan, possesses unlimited potential to develop as a comprehensive trade port.

Located in Asan Bay, it has naturally ideal conditions unaffected by typhoons or tidal waves, and maintains channel depths capable of accommodating constant entry and exit of 50,000-ton-class vessels.

Furthermore, it is positioned as a maritime gateway for the nation's capital region and central region markets, and forms a regional transportation network including the Seohaean Expressway and National Routes 38 and 77.

The Seohaean Expressway (Incheon~Mokpo) and National Route 77 (Paju~Yeosu, Jeollanam-do) connect as the nation's north-south axis, while the Pyeongtaek-Jecheon Expressway and National Route 38 (Asan~Pyeongtaek~Anseong) connect as the nation's east-west axis, enabling access to Incheon Airport within about one hour and to Busan within four to five hours.

Additionally, various national routes and provincial roads such as National Route 39 (Uijeongbu~Buyeo, Chungcheongnam-do), National Route 43 (Pyeongtaek Oseong~Sejong), and National Route 45 (Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do~Pyeongtaek~Gapyeong) form a comprehensive transportation network connecting all directions.

Under these geographic and geopolitical conditions, the government established the Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port development plan through designation and basic planning of the Asan Industrial Complex development zone in the 1980s, and the port was planned as an alternative port type including 17 berths, some of which would accommodate cargo transfers from Incheon Port such as grain, steel, and timber.

After the first LNG-dedicated vessel entered on October 31, 1986, the port was designated and notified as a trade port in accordance with the Port Act on December 5, 1986.

Straddling Asan Bay from Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek to Songsan-myeon, Dangjin, the port has an internal water surface area of 110㎦ and depth of 11-18m, and includes East Wharf, West Wharf, Songak Wharf, Godae Wharf, Passenger Wharf, Sand Wharf, and Dolphin Wharf.

Selected as one of three major national policy ports and five major national development projects, the port has achieved continuous growth, and an industrial belt has formed with LNG receiving terminals, LPG distribution bases, thermal power plants, industrial complexes, and comprehensive logistics complexes.

With total cargo throughput of 117 million tons (as of end of 2023) and automotive cargo volume ranking first nationwide for 11 consecutive years, the port has achieved impressive growth in a short period of less than 40 years since opening, compared to other major domestic ports.

△ First True Civic Organization Born, Anchored by Professors, Journalists, Port Unions, and Business Leaders

This rapid growth has benefited the national economy; however, it has brought negative externalities to Pyeongtaek and Gyeonggi Province, where the port is located, causing harm and reduced competitiveness.

Annual taxes amounting to trillions of won from cargo throughput all go to the central government as national revenue, while Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek city, as local governments, have suffered from environmental pollution from entering and exiting vessels, air pollution and congestion from cargo vehicles, traffic accidents, and road damage as Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port becomes more active.

Furthermore, as former Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries officials (a practice called "happia," combining maritime ministry officials and mafia) monopolized positions in subordinate agencies and showed little interest in ports, Pyeongtaek, an area that lacked attention to ports, began to be completely excluded from port development and advancement.

In this process, in 2018, Lee Dong-hyun, Professor of Commerce at Pyeongtaek University (current President of Pyeongtaek University), Choi Sung-il, CEO of Changun International, Kim Jong-sik, former Deputy General Manager handling Pyeongtaek at Yonhapnews (current CEO of Human Media Journal), Kim Ki-su, CEO of Pyeongtaek Citizens Newspaper, Kang Hae-mu, CEO of Gyeonggi Auto Car, and Kim Dae-sik, Chairman of the Pyeongtaek Port Union, as founding members, received approval from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for the incorporated association 'Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Forum,' marking the first civic organization related to Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port to be founded in substance.

In 2022, the organization changed its legal name from 'Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Forum' to 'Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Development Council,' and is making significant efforts toward local communities including local governments, private sector, civic organizations, and citizens to break away from the centralized port policy structure.

The Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Development Council is focused on local port governance.

To this end, it determined that approaching fundamental issues such as △institutional foundation and △establishment of sociocultural atmosphere was urgent, and operates a port academy for a second year targeting Pyeongtaek citizens who, despite the trade port being located in Pyeongtaek, know little about it, showing good results.

It is currently pursuing expansion to all Gyeonggi Province residents.

Local port governance can only be achieved when indifference transforms into interest.

Furthermore, to establish institutional foundations, it is urging discussions with the Mayor of Pyeongtaek, and the formation of special committees on Pyeongtaek Port in the Pyeongtaek City Council and Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, and is receiving positive responses.

Through invitations to current National Assembly members serving on the Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Committee and lectures from them, it is publicizing the status of Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port, and is also promoting institutional supplementation resulting therefrom and the Pyeongtaek·Dangjin Port Research Center.

To date, it has held dozens of meetings with Pyeongtaek mayoral candidates and National Assembly candidates, ministerial lectures, seminars and forums on various issues, and visits and workshops to advanced ports (domestic and overseas).

It is also co-hosting with Pyeongtaek University to select and announce the Top 10 News of Pyeongtaek Port and award officials who have worked toward port development.

Next article (Part 2) Operating port academy targeting Pyeongtaek citizens... 'Satisfaction,' 'Feeling Pride'