Ulsan against postponing New Port construction

The City of Ulsan requested additional funds from the central government to speed up the construction of the Ulsan New Port project as completion may be postponed a couple of years due to governmental under-funding.

According to the City of Ulsan and Ulsan Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the government started construction of the Ulsan New Port in 1995 and aims at completion by 2011. The port will be capable of handling 26 million tons of cargoes yearly with 29 berths in Yongyoug-dong, Namgu, Ejin-ri, and Uljoo county. The port is being built at a cost of KRW 3.51 trillion to prepare for increasing cargoes and to function as a Southeastern hub port.

Though the government planned to build a 500 meter long embankment and a 400 meter long breakwater for 232.7 billion won in the first step of the first stage of construction, from 1999 to 2003, it has only allotted 84.5 billion won in 2001 and 40.5 billion won in this year, just taking slight above half of total budgets, 125 billion won.

Moreover, even though construction for the completion first stage by next year requires at least 107.7 billion won, Ulsan Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries only asked for 61.7 billion won.

The regional agency said that it is impossible to meet all project budgets given past examples. This caused construction delays of several years, said the agency.

The City of Ulsan said that though the Ulsan New Port Plan is the most important project to Ulsan, it is a reflection of the government’s weak will when it comes to budgeting. Accordingly, the City of Ulsan petitioned the government to deliver the whole budget for remaining construction.