No Additional Transmission Towers Planned at Busan Jang-an-eup 'Healing Forest' Site... Gijang-gun Begins Development Following KEPCO Response

Jangan-eup 6 Resident Groups: "No More Transmission Towers, Expedite Creation of Healing Forest"

Local Politicians & Some Media: "Is One Existing Tower Enough? Suspicions of Land Favoritism"

Gijang-gun: "Feasibility Study Concludes Natural F

Busan Gijang County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Instead of transmission towers, we offer a ‘Healing Forest.’”

On the 12th, Gijang-gun, Busan, announced that it has firmly stated to residents concerned about the installation of transmission towers in Jangan-eup within the district that no additional towers will be installed and that it will proceed with a Healing Forest creation project.

Although there are some opposing opinions that the area is not suitable for a Healing Forest site because KEPCO might install additional transmission towers besides the existing one, and that it might be a special favor since the land includes that of a local politician, local resident groups and Gijang-gun have confirmed that there are no plans for additional transmission towers, so they see the need to create a healing forest for the residents regardless of the landowners.

Earlier, on the 10th, the village heads of Jangan-eup requested Gijang-gun, saying, “The six resident organizations of Jangan-eup ask for the creation of a Healing Forest on the military land around San 74, Myeongrye-ri, Jangan-eup. We urge Gijang-gun to expedite this for the residents’ healing space and regional development.”

They also insisted, “No additional transmission towers should be installed on the Healing Forest site in Jangan-eup besides the existing tower.”

On the 11th, Gijang-gun inquired with the Southern Construction Headquarters of Korea Electric Power Corporation about any future plans to install transmission towers on the Healing Forest site in Jangan-eup, and received an official letter stating that “there are no plans for additional installation.”

In August 2019, Gijang-gun received approval from the Gijang-gun Project Task Review Committee for the “Basic Plan and Feasibility Study on the Utilization of Military Land in Jangan-eup,” and from March to October last year, conducted a feasibility study on the military land area in Myeongrye-ri.

The study concluded that the military land, approximately 77,000㎡ (about 23,000 pyeong), is a conservation forest mainly composed of pine trees, a natural forest, and that creating a Healing Forest that minimizes environmental damage and utilizes nature is appropriate.

Oh Gyu-seok, the mayor of Gijang-gun, said, “To advance the era of carbon neutrality, it is necessary to create dense forests and trees to establish the ‘Healing Forest’ that residents desire,” adding, “Although there is one existing transmission tower in the area, it does not pose a significant problem in creating a healing space for the residents.”

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