GANGNEUNG — The city of Gangneung in Gangwon State is moving to buy 20.95 billion won ($14.5 million) worth of land near Anmok Beach to ease a parking shortage at the tourist area, drawing criticism from civic groups and opposition politicians who call it a waste of public money.
The city said on the 18th it is pursuing the purchase of 16,000 square meters of land, including a city bus depot and adjacent plots near Anmok Beach, for 20.95 billion won. The site would first be used as a public parking lot and later as land for public projects. The estimated purchase price is 2.4 times the officially assessed individual land value of 8.6 billion won.
Opposition lawmakers have pushed back strongly. Gangneung city council members from the People Power Party held a news conference on the 13th and questioned why the city would spend 20.95 billion won on land with no concrete plan for its use when every department must cut next year's budget by 30%.
They also raised fairness concerns, noting that the council had fought bitterly over a 21.2 billion won livelihood support payment on the grounds of fiscal strain. Earlier, on the 12th, the party's Gangwon State chapter demanded an immediate halt to the purchase and the disclosure of how the price was calculated along with a detailed plan for the land's use.
Allegations of preferential treatment involving the landowner have also surfaced. The council members pointed out that the land is tied to a privately owned bus depot, stressing that the city needs to verify whether the deal serves the public interest or helps a private owner offload an asset.
They further argued that the city has not clearly shown what public loss would result from delaying the purchase, asking whether it would not be more sensible to watch the land market and demand for public projects.
The city maintains that easing the parking shortage caused by a surge in visitors is urgent. A city official said the Anmok area draws large numbers of tourists and has seen a rise in apartment buildings, generating a steady stream of complaints about traffic and parking, and that the city judged the land to be highly useful because no other large consolidated site is available nearby.
On the favoritism allegations, the city drew a line, saying what matters is that the site is a large tract needed to relieve the parking shortage, not who owns it.