Jeonju Battalion Relocation and Cheonma District Development Regain Momentum

City Council Approves Private Investment Agreement
Urban Space to Be Redeveloped After Military Relocation
Project Completion Targeted for 2033

The long-stalled projects in northern Jeonju, namely the relocation of the Jeonju Battalion and the urban development of the Cheonma District, have completed the necessary procedures to resume after reorganizing the composition of private-sector participants.

Aerial perspective of the relocation of Jeonju Daedae and Cheonma District urban development project. Provided by Jeonju City Hall

On September 17th, Jeonju City announced that the Jeonju City Council, during the 434th 1st regular session, had approved a proposal to amend the private investment project agreement, confirming Cheonma Development, a special purpose company (SPC), as the implementing entity for the Jeonju Battalion relocation and the Cheonma District urban development project.

Cheonma Development comprises Woami Construction with a 90% stake and Janghan General Construction, a local builder, with a 10% stake. When Taeyoung Construction, previously the largest investor in the project, entered a workout process, funding difficulties arose, leading to a reorganization of the project structure in order to normalize the initiative.

In November last year, Jeonju City received a normalization plan from the private sector proposing the separation of the Jeonju Battalion relocation and the Cheonma District development as independent remaining projects. Following the city council’s approval in February of this year, the city proceeded with project restructuring, and with this latest agreement amendment, the reorganization of private-sector participants has been finalized.

Since the development of the Cheonma District can only proceed after the Jeonju Battalion relocation, Jeonju City plans to first concentrate its administrative resources on the relocation project.

In April, Jeonju City announced compensation plans for the planned relocation site, and starting from October, it will begin land compensation procedures. The city also plans to complete the disaster impact assessment and environmental impact assessment within this year.

The relocation project is scheduled to begin construction in the first half of next year and continue for about three years, with completion targeted for 2030. Afterward, Jeonju City intends to complete the relocation of the Jeonju Battalion following donation and acceptance procedures with the Ministry of National Defense.

Jeonju City also plans to expedite related administrative procedures so that the Cheonma District development project can be pursued in tandem with the battalion’s relocation schedule.

The city aims to finalize changes to the Cheonma District development plan, detailed designs, and land readjustment plans by 2030 to ensure that the urban development is not delayed after the military unit’s relocation.

The Cheonma District project is notable for its objective to redevelop military base land remaining in the northern part of Jeonju into urban space. If the development proceeds as planned, Jeonju City anticipates that it will connect road networks and green corridors with nearby residential areas such as Eco City, and also facilitate the improvement of surrounding urban structures.

However, given that the project has been delayed for a prolonged period, the main challenge ahead is to ensure that practical project steps such as land compensation, assessments, and designs are carried out stably and effectively.

Jeonju City is promoting the Jeonju Battalion relocation in tandem with the development of the Cheonma District, aiming for the following milestones: commencement of construction on the battalion’s relocation site in 2027, completion of the relocation project by 2030, start of the Cheonma District development in 2030, and project completion by 2033.

Kim Chilhyun, Director-General of the Urban Infrastructure Bureau at Jeonju City, said, "With the city council's approval, the composition of Cheonma Development's shareholders has been finalized, eliminating uncertainties about the project’s implementation. We will continue to engage transparently with residents in the relocation area and ensure that the remaining administrative procedures proceed without setbacks."

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