Kim Byung-won Preliminary Candidate "Complete Removal of Mines in Geumseongsan, Transform into a Premium Citizen Park"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Seon-gang] Kim Byung-won, a preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea in Naju·Hwasun, Jeonnam, stated on the 14th, “We will promptly remove the remaining landmines buried around the summit of Naju Geumseongsan (451m above sea level), one of the eight famous mountains in Honam, and return Geumseongsan safely and intact to the citizens.”

Candidate Kim Byung-won said, “Nowadays, with the introduction of electronic and scientific warfare systems where time is measured in 1-2 seconds, there is no need for landmines, which are backward war weapons and inhumane killing devices. Therefore, the remaining landmines scattered around the Geumseongsan military base area must be urgently removed,” adding, “This is a crucial matter that guarantees the lives and safety of 120,000 Naju citizens and the many visitors to Geumseongsan.”

The landmines on Geumseongsan, totaling 1,853, were planted in the 1960s for base defense against infiltration by North Korea’s four major military lines and special operations forces. After 82 mines were lost due to a fire in the planted area in the late 1970s, 1,695 mines have been removed in three rounds to date. The currently estimated number of remaining landmines is 76, with a planted area of 27,046㎡.

He emphasized, “Due to recent environmental changes in the planting area such as frequent heavy rains caused by climate change and tree growth, it is likely that some landmines have been displaced, so complete removal of the remaining landmines must be achieved.”

He continued, “In cooperation with Naju City and through close consultations with related agencies including the Ministry of National Defense, we plan to complete the removal of the remaining landmines within this year, and also promote the relocation of the military base through joint discussions with the local community,” promising, “We will carry out a project that combines mountain restoration and landscape afforestation so that Geumseongsan can establish itself as a premium park in Korea, surpassing even Naju.”

He also stated, “Starting with the Geumseongsan landmines, we will establish national-level measures such as enacting special laws reflecting the current era regarding domestic landmine issues,” and added, “We will actively strive for simultaneous accession by both South and North Korea to the ‘Ottawa Treaty,’ which prohibits the development, use, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines and to which only a few countries worldwide have not yet acceded, thereby strengthening the foundation for peaceful reunification.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.