Pocheon City Seals Land Swap Deal at Former 6th Corps Site... "Opting for Practical Gains Over an Indefinite Withdrawal"

Pocheon City to Secure 166,438 Square Meters at Former 6th Corps Site
Agrees on Land Exchange with Ministry of National Defense; to Receive 7.89 Billion Won in Compensation
Exchange Contract and Ownership Transfer Planned for December; Development Linked to High-Tech Industrial Complex Under Review
Mayor Baek Younghyun: "We Will Lay the Groundwork for Development Linked to the High-Tech Industrial Complex"

Pocheon City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Younghyun), has concluded negotiations with the Ministry of National Defense on exchanging state-owned and city-owned land to secure the return of city-owned land within the former 6th Corps site, and is proceeding with the related administrative procedures. Under the agreement, the city will secure a total of 166,438 square meters, including state-owned land acquired through the exchange and city-owned land to be returned, and will also receive an exchange payment of approximately 7.89 billion won.

Map of the 6th Corps site exchange and return. Courtesy of Pocheon City.

According to Pocheon City on Nov. 1, it has been negotiating with the Ministry of National Defense since August last year to recover 166,438 square meters of city-owned land within the former 6th Corps site in Jajak-dong. The two sides agreed to exchange part of the city-owned land for nearby state-owned land and return all of the remaining city-owned land.

Under the agreement, the Ministry of National Defense will acquire 67,680 square meters of city-owned land, while Pocheon City will acquire 58,290 square meters of state-owned land. The city will also recover the remaining 108,148 square meters of city-owned land.

The city plans to seek deliberation and approval of an amendment to its shared property management plan by the city council in November, then sign the exchange contract and transfer ownership in December. It will subsequently discuss with the Ministry of National Defense the restoration process, including demolition of buildings and remediation of soil contamination. The Ministry of National Defense will bear the restoration costs.

Pocheon City said the agreement is intended to expedite the acquisition of city-owned land and improve its usability. The existing city-owned parcels are elongated or scattered across several locations, and developing them would be constrained by their adjacency to land held by the Ministry of National Defense, even if they were returned as is.

The city said that, during negotiations, it assessed the location and shape of the land and its development potential, then selected state-owned land with more favorable development conditions than the existing city-owned parcels for the exchange. The aim is to first secure and organize the land that is available, then put it to use in stages while the timing of the return remains uncertain.

The city said that proposals raised by some, including a long-term rent-free lease of state-owned land and relocation of the entire military base, require separate review.

According to the city, of the approximately 270,000-pyeong area around the former 6th Corps site, 632,558 square meters are state-owned, excluding the 166,438 square meters of city-owned land used by the Ministry of National Defense and the 78,075 square meters of nearby city-owned land. To use the entire site, discussions would be needed not only on the return of city-owned land, but also on the use and management of state-owned land and the relocation of the military base.

Pocheon City said that the proposal to lease state-owned land rent-free for 75 years requires a review of whether it is permitted under current laws and regulations, and that even if a lease is secured, restrictions may apply to the installation of facilities and development activities. It also said that the costs of demolishing facilities and restoring the land after the lease ends would need to be considered.

Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun holds a press conference on Dec. 3 last year, calling for the return of the 6th Corps site. Photo provided by Pocheon City.

The city said that relocating the entire military base is also a long-term task, but should be addressed separately from the return of city-owned land. The return of city-owned land will not automatically lead to the relocation of the entire military base, and the agreement does not mean the city is giving up on relocating the base. The city added that relocation would require securing replacement facilities, preparing a relocation plan, and coordinating with relevant agencies.

The city plans to consider using the land it will secure in coordination with the site planned for an adjacent high-tech industrial complex. Its goal is to support the attraction of businesses, job creation, and population growth by developing residential complexes and industrial facilities.

The presence of state-owned land between the parcels is an issue that will need to be resolved as future development plans are drawn up. The city expects to ensure road access, as each parcel borders National Route 43 and the Jajak-Eoryong Bypass. Specific land-use plans, including roads connecting the parcels, will be discussed with relevant agencies and the military during the development of a district-unit plan.

A Pocheon City official said, "The city-owned land within the former 6th Corps site is public property and an important asset directly tied to Pocheon's future development. We will ensure the return and restoration processes proceed smoothly and establish a foundation for development in coordination with the adjacent high-tech industrial complex."

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