Gwangju City - 1st Combat Flight Wing 'Noise Damage Reduction Business Agreement'...Nation's First Case

Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "Actively Striving to Minimize Noise Damage and Ensure Fair Compensation"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City and the 1st Fighter Wing have joined hands to actively cooperate in minimizing noise damage caused by military aircraft.

In particular, this agreement is significant as it is the first nationwide case of a local government and a fighter wing working together to minimize noise damage, and considering that a considerable amount of time is required for construction and relocation even after the military airport relocation has been agreed upon, it establishes measures to minimize noise damage during that period.

On the 8th, Gwangju City signed a ‘Business Agreement to Reduce Military Airport Noise Damage’ at the City Hall Business Room, attended by Mayor Lee Yong-seop and Colonel Kwon Oh-seok of the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing.

This agreement was initiated after Mayor Lee Yong-seop held a meeting with the commander of the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing in July to seek solutions following a surge in complaints about military aircraft noise due to prolonged social distancing caused by COVID-19, and discussed related countermeasures.

The agreement includes provisions for the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing to actively implement measures to resolve complaints and reduce noise from military aircraft, while Gwangju City will support the successful implementation of these noise reduction measures and actively promote them to citizens.

In particular, both organizations agreed to form and operate a ‘Civil-Military Consultative Body’ to share information and data for noise reduction, and to discuss and coordinate noise reduction measures such as expanding simulated training, minimizing night training, and improving takeoff and landing procedures.

Furthermore, Gwangju City plans to actively strive to ensure that local residents receive maximum compensation for noise damage caused by military aircraft.

Since November, Gwangju City has been actively participating in the noise impact survey conducted by the Ministry of National Defense to designate noise damage countermeasure areas, ensuring the process is fair and transparent by forming a resident consultative body. The survey results will be verified through a professional agency to ensure residents receive rightful compensation.

Colonel Kwon Oh-seok of the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing stated, “We will improve training methods and develop ways to minimize noise through simulations. Especially, we will do our best to reduce noise in many areas the Air Force can control, such as minimizing night flights and adjusting operational schedules.”

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “We are implementing a three-step plan to minimize citizens’ noise damage from the military airport. As a result of continuous efforts to expedite the relocation of the military airport, a working-level consultative body involving Jeollanam-do Province, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of National Defense has been formed, and through related legislation amendments and research, a comprehensive government support plan for the military airport relocation area will be established.”

He continued, “Since the relocation of the military airport takes a long time, we decided to prepare noise damage minimization measures together with the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing on the occasion of this agreement. Since the ‘Military Noise Compensation Act’ came into effect on the 27th of last month, a path has opened for compensation without separate lawsuits if noise damage is proven. We will actively support the Ministry of National Defense to ensure that affected households and areas are not omitted in the noise damage measurement being promoted.”

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