South Gyeongsang Province launches zoning process for aerospace complex city in Sacheon

South Gyeongsang Province announced Monday that it has launched the formal zoning designation process for the Sacheon Aerospace Complex City, a flagship development project intended to drive future growth in the western part of the province.

The province received a zoning designation application from Sacheon city in September under the Urban Development Act. It is now reviewing the project's feasibility, development concept and consistency with relevant laws and plans, while requesting consultations with related central government ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The project aims to build a self-sufficient mixed-use city spanning approximately 7.1 million square meters in the Yonghyeon-myeon area of Sacheon, timed to coincide with the establishment of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA). The plan calls for concentrating industrial, research, administrative and residential functions in a single location. Centered on KASA's new headquarters, the development will link an administrative and research-and-development district, a residential and education district, and an advanced industry district to create an innovation ecosystem. Land will be acquired through expropriation or use rights.

About 67 percent of the project site — approximately 4.72 million square meters — falls within agricultural and forestry zones. Securing approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, including the lifting of agricultural promotion area designations, is considered a key challenge. The province plans to work with Sacheon city to make the case for the site's strategic importance in strengthening the aerospace industry and attracting skilled workers, and to advance consultations with related ministries.

After completing consultations with relevant agencies and a review by the provincial urban planning committee, the province plans to officially designate the urban development zone by the first half of 2027. Once the zone is designated, Sacheon city, as the project operator, is expected to finalize a development plan in the second half of 2027, followed by construction approval and ground-breaking in 2029.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to enact a special law on the construction of the aerospace complex city, which would ease the fiscal burden of the large-scale development and establish a legal basis for national-level support. With the bill set to be placed before a subcommittee of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the province plans to hold a rally of residents from the Yeongnam and Honam regions in front of the National Assembly building on Nov. 9.