"Desperate Survival of Abandoned Mine Residents"‥Choi Seung-jun County Governor Appeals to Representative Lee Nak-yeon

Early Amendment of the Special Act on Coal Industry, Proposal to Preserve Jeongseon Alpine Ski Stadium

Choi Seung-jun, Jeongseon County Governor (right in the photo), explained local issues to Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and requested support. [Provided by Jeongseon County]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-chul] Choi Seung-jun, the mayor of Jeongseon County, met with Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to request cooperation and support on Jeongseon County’s top issues, including the early amendment of the "Special Act on Support for Development of Abandoned Mine Areas" (폐특법) and the preservation of the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Stadium.

According to Jeongseon County on the 7th, Mayor Choi explained the necessity of abolishing the deadline provision for the application of the Special Act on the 5th and urged active support from Leader Lee.

Mayor Choi stated, "Due to the closure of Kangwon Land caused by COVID-19, the local commercial district has been virtually devastated," adding, "If the termination of the Special Act becomes a reality, the economic damage to the abandoned mine areas will go beyond harm and approach a disaster."

He particularly emphasized that extending the Special Act again instead of abolishing its expiration is merely a temporary life support for the abandoned mine areas, and he requested much attention and support for the urgent opinions of the residents in the abandoned mine areas.

Along with this, he reiterated the necessity of a reasonable restoration of the Gariwangsan Alpine Stadium (including the decision to preserve the gondola), which has not seen any progress even three years after the closing of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Currently, residents of Jeongseon County are continuing a life-or-death relay tent protest at the summit of Gariwangsan Habong, where extreme cold temperatures of around minus 20 degrees Celsius persist.

On the same day, Mayor Choi also attended the "2021 Democratic Party of Korea Gangwon Provincial Party Budget Policy Issues Meeting" held at the Glad Hotel in Yeouido, where he explained the reasonable preservation of the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Stadium, the early amendment of the Special Act on Support for Development of Abandoned Mine Areas, and damage caused by water pollution from Doam Dam, urging prompt resolution.

He also informed about difficulties in securing budgets necessary for projects such as structural improvements to flood-prone sections of National Road No. 59, establishment of public medical infrastructure in abandoned mine areas, and creation of an urban park-type parking lot at Jeongseon 3-gyo, requesting inclusion of national funds such as central government grants.

Furthermore, regarding the recent enactment of the Korea Mining Corporation Act, he clarified, "The statement by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy officials that local government heads of abandoned mine areas agreed to the enactment of the law is not true."

He explained, "The Abandoned Mine Area Mayors and County Heads Administrative Council has decided to discuss the enactment of the Korea Mining Corporation Act after confirming the abolition of the deadline provision of the Special Act."

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