Donghae Mayor Lee Jeong-hak visited the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Thursday to press two key requests: converting berths 4 through 7 at Donghae New Port into a state-funded project, and adding Donghae and Mukho ports to the fifth comprehensive plan for port hinterland development.
Lee explained to central government officials that both measures are necessary to ensure the timely development of Donghae New Port and to strengthen the long-term growth foundation of Donghae and Mukho ports.
Berths 4 through 7 at Donghae New Port were originally planned as privately financed, but attracting private investment has proved difficult due to shifts in energy policy and the low profitability of bulk cargo operations.
Lee said converting the project to state funding is essential — not only to complete Donghae New Port on schedule and ease chronic vessel congestion, but also to support the reorganization of the northern pier at Donghae Port for maritime security functions, as outlined in the national port master plan.
Lee also asked the ministry to include Donghae and Mukho ports as new additions to the fifth comprehensive plan for port hinterland development, which the ministry is currently drawing up.
Despite serving as major industrial logistics hubs in the East Sea rim region, Donghae and Mukho ports have been excluded from port hinterland designation due to a cargo volume-focused demand assessment methodology and difficulties in securing development sites.
The city called on the ministry to reflect the area's future demand from emerging industries — including AI data centers and a defense maritime systems testing center — as well as its regional characteristics, and to use special provisions for port hinterland designation under the Gangwon Special Act, which takes effect Oct. 22.
The visit follows up on the reorganization of port functions at Donghae and Mukho ports incorporated into the revised fourth national port master plan last July, with the aim of developing the ports into a strategic East Sea rim hub integrating industrial logistics, maritime security and emerging marine industries.
"The timely development of Donghae New Port and securing port hinterland are the critical tasks that will determine the future competitiveness of Donghae and Mukho ports," Lee said. "I asked the government to provide active support so that the development strategies reflected in the national port master plan can translate into tangible results."
The ministry's port bureau director said the department would review the requests with a view to developing Donghae New Port into a regional economic hub, monitor future pier operations, and examine the need to add new port hinterland designations through an ongoing study for the fifth comprehensive plan.
abc@heraldcorp.com
