‘Saemangeum Development 2.0’ The government that took a step forward… Building a core road with finances

The government, the ruling party, and local governments rolled their arms together to make the Saemangeum project in Jeollabuk-do, which has fallen into a’ugly duck’, into a’swan’.

First of all, the government decided to construct an 18km core section of the inner arterial road with national finances to improve the investment conditions in Saemangeum. It is expected that the’road blood vein’, which had been entrusted to the private sector until now, was blocked. As the social overhead capital (SOC) sector, the biggest obstacle that has prevented Saemangeum development, is improving, other projects in the region are expected to receive momentum. The Saemangeum Basic Plan will be changed and various plans will be promoted to make it a center for the Green New Deal and new industries. In addition to global-scale renewable energy projects such as solar and wind power, the construction of core infrastructure such as highways, new airports, and new ports will be in full swing. Through this, the plan is to create a low-carbon energy independent city with a resident population of 150,000 in 2030 and 270,000 in 2050. The ruling Democratic Party also launched a support fire by promoting the Honam ultra-wide energy economic community’Honam RE300′, which is based on Saemangeum solar power generation.

On the 24th, Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun held the 25th Saemangeum Committee at the Jeollabuk-do Office and announced the second-stage Saemangeum basic plan. Various development plans have been proposed with the goal of raising the Saemangeum development achievement rate, which is 60% of the current basic plan, to 78% in 2030 and 100% completion in 2050. What stands out is that the government has decided to resolve the SOC investment, which has been pointed out as the main cause of the Saemangeum business downturn. Of the internal arterial roads planned with private capital, the main section of 18 km is built by the state. Participation of public enterprises such as the Korea Water Resources Corporation will be encouraged to significantly improve local infrastructure and reduce the burden on private investors.

It also accelerates the existing SOC business. To improve the location of the industrial complex, a highway connecting Saemangeum and Jeonju will be built by 2024. Saemangeum New Airport is scheduled to be completed by 2028, and the construction of the first phase of the new port is also scheduled to be completed by 2030. The idea is to create a new investment base representing Korea through customized special economic zones in connection with this.

In addition, Prime Minister Chung said, “(Saemangeum) will become the world’s largest floating photovoltaic powerhouse and other green growth centers.” The primary goal is to create a green industrial complex that covers 100% of the required energy with renewable energy by 2024. Prime Minister Chung promised, “From this year, we will promote world-class renewable energy businesses such as solar and wind power and start producing electricity from next year.”

Instead of desalination of Saemangeum, the agricultural water to be supplied to agricultural life sites in Saemangeum will be drawn from other areas nearby. In order to shorten the project cost and construction period, it will make the most of the nearby Geumgang Seopo Pumping Station and Okgu Reservoir. An additional water quality improvement plan to improve the water quality of Saemangeum Lake is planned to be prepared through research services by specialized institutions.

It seems that the Democratic Party has also launched an indirect support fire for ‘Saving Saemangeum’. The Democratic Party, Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gwangju Metropolitan City held a briefing session on the start of the Honam RE300 service at the National Assembly on this day and announced their future plans. They decided to push ahead with a plan to produce 300% of the local electricity use through renewable energy generation by 2050.

Local energy demand is covered by 100% renewable energy, and 200% of excess production is supplied to the metropolitan area through the so-called’energy expressway (electric power grid dedicated to renewable energy). The first step is to expand new and renewable energy sources by 2030 and establish an independent power grid to achieve’Honam RE100 energy independence’. The second phase is to expand energy storage systems (ESS) and hydrogen fuel cells by 2040, and improve long-distance transmission networks to distribute and sell electricity produced in Honam to other regions. In the last three stages, the’RE300 Energy Export’ plan to secure large-scale facilities such as green hydrogen turbines by 2050 and develop and produce large-capacity ESS for export will be implemented.

[백상경 기자 / 송민근 기자]
[ⓒ 매일경제 & mk.co.kr, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]