Naju-si Geumseongsan Committee "Government Must Take Action Including Enacting Laws Related to Landmine Removal"

Press Conference Urging the Clearance of Minefields Held

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] On the 20th, the Geumseongsan Committee under the Naju City Public-Private Joint Committee, Green Korea United, and the Peace Sharing Association (hereinafter referred to as the three organizations) held a joint press conference in the multipurpose room on the 2nd floor of the Naju Youth Training Center, urging the "complete removal of landmines buried in Geumseongsan and the lifting of the landmine zone."

These organizations pointed out the limitations of the Ministry of National Defense’s current landmine removal perspective and methods, which are confined to national security, and proposed the introduction of the "International Mine Action Standards" (IMAS) and the establishment of a "dedicated inter-ministerial landmine removal agency" for accelerated landmine removal.

At the press conference, attendees included Chae Jeong-gi, co-chairman of the Naju Geumseongsan Committee and standing chairman of the Mudeungsan Protection Organizations Council; Seo Jae-cheol, full-time specialist of Green Korea United; Jo Jae-guk, executive director of the Peace Sharing Association; Bae Je-seon, head of the Natural Ecology Team of Green Korea United; and activist Lee Ji-su.

The press conference proceeded with thematic briefings by Green Korea United and the Peace Sharing Association on the "National Status of Anti-Personnel Landmine Burial," "Current Status and Utilization Plans for Landmine Removal in Naju Geumseongsan," and "The Importance of Resolving Landmine Issues through the Introduction of International Standards (IMAS) and Overseas Best Practices in Landmine Removal," followed by the reading of the press release, Q&A, and an on-site explanation of anti-personnel landmine removal.

Through the press conference, the three organizations stated, "The Ministry of National Defense, which declared in 2001 that the strategic necessity of rear-area landmine zones had disappeared, has poured hundreds of billions of won into landmine removal over the past 20 years, yet no landmine zones have been lifted," and argued, "The fact that 37 rear-area landmine zones still remain proves that the current methods are not appropriate."

The three organizations pointed out the danger of lost landmines, stating, "Landmines do not remain only where they were buried but are displaced by external factors such as rain, so it is impossible to know where they will be found," and "The social, economic, and environmental damages caused by landmines, including civilian discoveries and crop harvest damages, are significant."

They also strongly criticized the lax management system of landmine zones and the limitations of landmine removal focused on national security perspectives.

The three organizations said, "On-site landmine warning signs are scattered and fallen, barbed wire fences are broken in many places, and signs are often unidentifiable, so urgent improvements are needed," and added, "The reality of people exercising next to landmine warning signs and hiking along the boundary barbed wire fences of landmine zones is a disregard for public safety in the name of national security."

They continued, "At the current speed of landmine removal by the Ministry of National Defense, it is expected to take about 400 years, but even after 400 years, there is no guarantee that the landmine zones will be lifted," and "Even landmine zones officially announced as cleared by the Ministry of National Defense have not been lifted."

The three organizations unanimously agreed that the Ministry of National Defense should apply the "International Mine Action Standards" (IMAS) for accelerated landmine removal and safe lifting of landmine zones.

They also proposed legal and institutional arrangements to allow civilian experts to be deployed in landmine removal operations and the establishment of a dedicated landmine agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, prioritizing public safety.

Chae Jeong-gi, co-chairman of the Geumseongsan Committee, stated, "Government-level measures such as enacting laws related to landmine removal and establishing a dedicated agency are necessary so that citizens can walk safely," and added, "The Naju City Public-Private Joint Committee Geumseongsan Committee will promote the resolution of rear-area landmine issues through public-private cooperation to adopt it as a national agenda for the next presidential election."

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