Completion Ceremony Held Before Permits Finalized? Geochang Second Sports Town Faces Backlash Over 'Administrative Mismanagement'

Kim Hongseop Focuses on Key Procedures: Operator Designation, Implementation Plan Approval, Notification, Construction Start, and Completion
Application from 2023 Unresolved for Extended Period
Administrative Lapses Exposed in 2025: Repeat Consulting and Resubmission
"What Matters More Than a Ceremony Is Lawful Completion"
Accountability for Oversight in Major Public Projects

Concerns have been raised that Geochang County in South Gyeongsang Province proceeded with the Second Sports Town development project and even held a completion ceremony, despite not fully completing key administrative procedures such as the designation of the project operator, approval of the implementation plan, legal notice, the start and completion of construction, and other core administrative processes. This is expected to create significant controversy.

Particularly troubling is the fact that construction progressed and the completion ceremony was held even though the necessary permits and approvals had not been processed for a lengthy period. As a result, questions are being raised over whether the county’s management and oversight system for major public projects functioned properly, going beyond a simple administrative oversight.

Kim Hongseop, a member of Geochang County Council from the Democratic Party of Korea, focused on whether administrative procedures required for permit approvals and the completion process were properly followed for the Second Sports Town development during the 295th regular session of the Geochang County Council’s 2026 administrative audit, held with the Urban Architecture Division on September 3 and the Sports Facilities Office on September 8.

[Photo by Geochang County Council] Kim Hongseop, a member of the Geochang County Council, is inquiring during the administrative audit about the fulfillment of administrative procedures such as the designation of the project implementer, approval of the implementation plan, legal notification, and commencement and completion related to the Geochang County 2nd Sports Town development project.

The issue raised by Assemblyman Kim is not just a matter of missing one or two documents.

He questioned whether the entire process—including the designation of the project operator, approval of the implementation plan, related public notice, procedures for commencement of construction, completion and acceptance of the works, and subsequent administrative steps required for facility use—had been properly executed.

According to Assemblyman Kim, the application for permit approval of the implementation plan for the Second Sports Town was submitted on March 28, 2023 after the related consultation services. However, he pointed out that the project continued even though the application was not processed normally.

Moreover, Geochang County again performed the related consulting in 2025 and resubmitted the application on December 3 of that year. Yet claims have been made that, as of the administrative audit, neither the necessary permits nor the final completion procedures had been fully resolved.

As a result, the central question of this audit became: "Why did the permit application submitted in 2023 go unresolved for such a long time, and if the required procedures were not completed, on what grounds did the construction proceed?"

[Photo by Geochang County] Aerial view of Geochang County Second Sports Town

◆ Where are the approvals and notices... How did construction go ahead?

Assemblyman Kim demanded clarification on when and how each required procedure for the project—such as designation of the project operator, approval of the implementation plan, gathering of resident opinions, document disclosure, coordination with related departments and agencies, and legal notification—were actually carried out.

He particularly emphasized that since approval of the implementation plan is a statutory prerequisite for proceeding with the project, the status and timing of this approval is essential for assessing the overall procedural validity of the project.

If construction proceeded without the implementation plan approval being granted, it cannot simply be dismissed as paperwork delays.

However, determining actual legal violations requires a comprehensive review of the specific laws governing the Second Sports Town, whether permits could be deemed approved by law, and the administrative paperwork processed at the time.

Nevertheless, if some key procedures—such as designation of the operator, implementation plan approval, public notice, commencement, or completion—were omitted or handled retroactively, it will be difficult for Geochang County to avoid responsibility for failing to manage basic administrative steps in a major public project.

◆ Why a "completion ceremony" when administrative procedures were incomplete?

The controversy was further heightened by the completion ceremony for the Second Sports Town held on May 22, 2025.

Assemblyman Kim pointed out that Geochang County held the ceremony even though the relevant permits and completion procedures had not been finalized at the time.

The completion ceremony is an event to publicly announce the end of a project and is different from the legal and administrative completion under relevant statutes. Therefore, holding a ceremony itself does not constitute a legal violation.

However, if a ceremony claiming "completion" was held and the facility was put into actual use before required legal procedures had finished, that presents a serious problem.

There could be criticism that the county was prematurely declaring the project complete to the public when, administratively, it was not.

Assemblyman Kim also pointed out that, even after the physical completion, subsequent administrative steps such as the final inspection, relevant department approvals, preparation of the building register, and the arrangement of cadastral records had not been finalized to allow for proper facility management and use.

Therefore, it is necessary to clarify precisely what the legal and administrative status of the Second Sports Town was at the time of the ceremony, and if the facility is currently in use, on what basis such use was initiated.

◆ "Private companies must comply with the law—what about public agencies?"

Assemblyman Kim framed the issue as one of administrative trust.

He strongly criticized, "If the facility is being used without resolving the legal violations, then it is wrong for the authorities to demand compliance from private citizens while not adhering to the rules themselves. There is no justification for requiring citizens to comply with the law if government entities do not."

He noted that administrative authorities strictly require private individuals to obtain permits and fulfill the procedures of reporting, beginning construction, and completing projects for development or building activities.

Therefore, if Geochang County did not follow mandated procedures for a major project it was carrying out itself, it may be criticized for applying a double standard: being strict with private parties but lax with itself.

◆ What happened to the initial consulting? Wasteful spending for renewal and reapplication under scrutiny

According to Assemblyman Kim, Geochang County used consulting services to apply for implementation plan approval in 2023 but failed to process it for an extended period and hired consultants again in 2025 for resubmission that December.

This raises questions about why the 2023 consulting did not result in valid approval, why existing results could not be used, and whether unnecessary budget was spent on the additional consulting.

If relevant departments and managers failed to recognize the lack of permit approval over an extended period after the initial application, this goes beyond an individual’s error and highlights possible deficiencies in inter-departmental communication, internal control, and oversight systems.

Assemblyman Kim stated, "This issue should not end as a single person’s mistake," emphasizing that "a thorough review is required to understand why inter-departmental coordination and the management oversight system failed to operate."

He also recommended that for large projects, stepwise manuals and checklists should be established so that department heads directly verify execution of each step from designation of the operator, implementation plan approval, commencement, completion, and facility use, ensuring a robust management system.

[Photo by Geochang-gun] Attendees commemorate the completion at the completion ceremony of the 2nd Sports Town held by Geochang-gun on May 22, 2025.

◆ "What matters more than a ceremony is legitimate completion"

Assemblyman Kim also raised the issue of accountability in the policy decision-making process, not only among working-level officials.

He indicated that the ultimate policy decision-maker should focus on legal compliance and gathering resident input rather than pursuing overly aggressive project timelines or political events.

He stressed, "The basics of administration are compliance with procedure and law. What is more important than a completion ceremony is legitimate completion, and more than publicly declaring project completion, it is vital for public agencies to be first to comply with the law and complete all administrative procedures."

Ultimately, the controversy regarding the Second Sports Town is not a simple matter of missing paperwork.

The fundamental questions revolve around whether designation of the operator was handled properly, when and if implementation plan approval was granted, whether there was a legal public notice, on what basis construction began, if a ceremony was held without final inspection, and what the legal grounds are for current facility use.

In order to resolve these questions, Geochang County needs to publish, with supporting documents, a clear record of each step in the project, from the initial 2023 application, through the 2025 completion ceremony, to the renewed consulting, resubmission, and the present situation.

If the audit ultimately reveals that procedures required by law were in fact omitted, this would not be a mere administrative error but a fundamental issue necessitating a review of the internal control and oversight systems for major public projects in Geochang County.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.