Suwon R&D Science Park Site, Set to Become Western Suwon Innovation Hub, Designated Area Released from Greenbelt Restrictions
[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Chung Jun-sung] The 'Suwon R&D Science Park Development Project,' which is set to become an innovation hub for Western Suwon, is expected to move into full-scale development after greenbelt restrictions on the site have been lifted, 12 years after the project's initial plan was established.
On the 13th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conditionally passed the 'Suwon Urban Management Plan Decision (Amendment) regarding Partial Greenbelt Release.' The designated area for greenbelt release is 342,521.1㎡ (97.1%).
With this, Suwon Metropolitan City can now proceed with development on the 352,600㎡ Suwon R&D Science Park site in the Ipbuk-dong area (in the vicinity of Lot 484, Ipbuk-dong, Gwonseon-gu), which was previously designated as greenbelt.
On December 5th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held a full plenary session of the Central Urban Planning Committee at the ministry headquarters in Sejong City to review the 'Suwon Urban Management Plan Decision (Amendment) regarding Partial Greenbelt Release.'
Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun served as the presenting official for the agenda under review, spending 15 minutes emphasizing the necessity of the 'Suwon R&D Science Park Development Project,' and thoroughly answered committee members' questions over the ensuing 45-minute review session. On the 13th, Suwon City received the review results containing a 'conditional passage' decision.
The 'greenbelt release' is scheduled to be announced in Q1 next year, and Suwon City plans to establish the 'urban development zone designation and development plan' by the end of next year.
The journey to the Suwon R&D Science Park project taking its first step—which began in 2011 when Sungkyunkwan University proposed the project to Gyeonggi Province—has been arduous.
While progress appeared smooth after Suwon City established a project promotion plan in 2013, announced the business plan in 2014, and applied for a greenbelt release to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2016, the project faced a crisis when it came to a standstill due to a prosecution investigation regarding alleged land transaction irregularities (no charges filed) and an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection (unresolved).
The city resubmitted the project application to the Ministry in August 2021, but the Ministry responded that the administrative procedure deadline had long passed and requested that it be reprocessed. After the launch of the 8th civilian administration in July 2023, all administrative procedures were reprocessed, including a reevaluation of the strategic environmental impact assessment and project feasibility, and discussions with relevant government agencies were completed in September 2023.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued a conditional opinion stating that 'administrative procedures can be implemented when landowners' requests are resolved,' and Suwon City continued to consult with the Ministry, Sungkyunkwan University, and Gyeonggi Province to move the project forward.
After consistent discussions with Sungkyunkwan University, which owns 87% of the site, Suwon City signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding for Successful Implementation of the Suwon R&D Science Park Development Project' on December 29, 2023.
Sungkyunkwan University committed to creating a research and development cluster based on its outstanding research capabilities and industry-academia cooperation capabilities, and to activate the science park by connecting excellent talent pools. Suwon City plans to actively support the realization of Sungkyunkwan University's research and development cluster.
Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated, "The 'Suwon R&D Science Park,' one of Suwon City's advanced science and technology innovation cluster development projects, will lead innovation in Western Suwon and serve as an opportunity to establish a new growth hub in southern Gyeonggi Province beyond Suwon City," and added, "We will push forward the Suwon R&D Science Park development project without delay to achieve Suwon's economic transformation."