Building an eco-industrial park as a public project in South Korea. The stakeholders' understanding of and involvement in the project

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the actual development of an eco-industrial park (EIP) in South Korea by employing a case study approach and deals with a pilot ecoindustrial park project in the Macheon Industrial Park of Jinhae, Gyeongnam, in the south of Korea. This paper reviews the stakeholders' understanding of EIPs. Furthermore, research was conducted on the barriers to the actual promotion of the project in South Korea. First, stakeholders' understanding of EIPs is identified as being self-interested. The need for EIPs is mostly found in responding to civil complaints and pollutants resulting from the industrial park. However, the need is quite different from the original intention of EIPs. As a result, the project unsuccessfully deals with the needs of the stakeholders because of technical, economic, and social obstacles. Second, support from the public sector for the project seems quite inadequate. The public sector appears to lack the proper policy means and will to actualize the project. In conclusion, the Korean government needs to participate more actively in the project than it currently is doing.