Yongin secures ownership of school access road after 24 years as private land
In short
Yongin city in Gyeonggi said on 20 October that it now owns all seven parcels, 935 square metres in total, of the access road in front of Eondong Elementary and Middle School (언동초·중학교) in Eonnam-dong. Two private owners handed over their shares by negotiation, and a court ruling obtained by the city covered the last share, which was transferred on 16 October.
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Yongin city in Gyeonggi said on 20 October that it has secured ownership of all of the access road in front of Eondong Elementary and Middle School (언동초·중학교) in Eonnam-dong, Giheung District. The road covers seven parcels, Eonnam-dong 132-21 to 132-27, with a total area of 935 square metres. The three outlets say it had stayed in private hands for 24 years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to the reports, the road was built when the schools opened in 2002 for students' commute. It was meant to be donated to the city after it was built, but the transfer of ownership did not take place, so it remained privately owned. Seoul Economic Daily says some owners did not make the donation. The outlets say the city had difficulty installing and maintaining facilities such as canopies and safety fences, and that parents and residents had asked for the site to be brought into city ownership and for safety facilities to be expanded. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The land was held in shares by three private owners, identified in the reports as Company A, Company B and Association C. The city pursued negotiation and legal procedures at the same time. It completed a donation-based ownership registration with Company A in March. It signed a donation agreement with Company B in June and completed that transfer in July. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
For Association C's share, the city concluded that acquisitive prescription by possession had been completed, because it had maintained the road for more than 20 years, and filed a lawsuit for registration of ownership. Newsis describes the city as having asserted this because agreement was difficult. Seoul Economic Daily explains that the system lets a person who openly and peacefully possesses another's real estate for 20 years with intent to own it acquire ownership under certain conditions. [ 2 , 3 ]
Asia Economy and Seoul Economic Daily report that Suwon District Court ruled on 17 September that Association C must carry out the ownership registration procedure for the city. The ruling became final on 7 October, and the city finished transferring the remaining share on 16 October. Newsis gives the ruling as September and the finalisation as October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The city plans to link safety-facility upgrades and walking-environment improvements to the nearby Yongin Eonnam publicly supported private rental housing supply promotion district project. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Mayor Lee Sang-il said officials had negotiated persistently with the landowners and acted actively in legal proceedings, and that the city would do its best to create a safe commute for students. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The outlets say the private ownership had made it hard for the city to install and maintain safety facilities such as canopies and safety fences on the route students use. With ownership settled, the city says it plans to improve safety facilities and the walking environment, although the documents give no schedule.
Key facts
- Yongin said on 20 October that it had completed the ownership transfer of seven parcels of road, 935 square metres in total, at Eonnam-dong 132-21 to 132-27 in Giheung District, in front of Eondong Elementary and Middle School. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The road was built when the schools opened in 2002 and was meant to be donated to the city, but the transfer did not happen and it stayed in private hands for 24 years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The land was held in shares by three private owners: Company A, Company B and Association C. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Company A completed a donation-based ownership registration in March. Company B signed a donation agreement in June and completed the transfer in July. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- For Association C's share, the city sued for registration of ownership, citing more than 20 years of maintaining the road. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Suwon District Court ruled in September that Association C must carry out the registration. The ruling became final on 7 October, and the city completed the last transfer on 16 October. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city plans to link safety-facility upgrades to the nearby Yongin Eonnam publicly supported private rental housing supply promotion district project. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Yongin has secured ownership of all seven parcels of the road in front of Eondong Elementary and Middle School, 935 square metres in total, after 24 years in private hands. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Ownership of the three private shares was obtained in turn: Company A in March, Company B in July after a June agreement, and Association C's share through a court ruling, with the final transfer on 16 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The city's claim to Association C's share rested on more than 20 years of maintaining the road. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Suwon District Court ruled in September that Association C must transfer ownership registration to the city, and the ruling became final on 7 October. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- What the city will build and when. Asia Economy says the city plans to expand safety facilities and improve the walking environment, while Seoul Economic Daily says it plans to review ways to do so. None of the three outlets gives a schedule or cost.
- Who Company A, Company B and Association C are. The outlets refer to the owners only by these letters and do not name them.