Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Holds Meeting on Military Noise Issues

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City held a communication session with the Ministry of National Defense and residents regarding the noise impact survey related to the promotion of military noise damage compensation.

Gwangsan-gu announced on the 30th that it held a meeting between the Ministry of National Defense and resident representatives for military noise damage compensation on the 29th at the small conference room on the 4th floor of the government building.

In this regard, Gwangju City formed a joint consultative body consisting of local governments in military airport noise areas, residents, and the Air Force 1st Fighter Wing, and held a meeting on the 14th to discuss proposals to be submitted to military units and the Ministry of National Defense.

At this meeting, a discussion between the Ministry of National Defense and residents was held at the residents' request.

About ten people attended the meeting, including the Ministry of National Defense Military Noise Compensation TF, local governments, resident representatives participating in the noise impact survey, and the Military Noise Special Committee.

The noise impact survey and noise damage compensation procedures promoted under the “Act on Prevention of Noise and Compensation for Damage Caused by Military Airfields and Military Shooting Ranges” (hereinafter referred to as the Military Noise Compensation Act), which was implemented last year, were explained, followed by a Q&A session between residents and the Ministry of National Defense.

Residents requested a legal amendment to gradually adjust the noise damage compensation standard stipulated in the Military Noise Compensation Act from 85 WECPNL to 75 WECPNL, which is the standard for civilian airports, to change the boundary of noise countermeasure areas from buildings to geographical features, and to simplify the reasons for reducing compensation.

The reason given was that “if compensation eligibility differs depending on the building even within the same apartment complex, it may cause conflicts among residents.”

Also, with the second noise measurement scheduled next month following the first measurement conducted last November according to the Ministry of National Defense’s noise impact survey, residents urged close cooperation with military units to share training schedules such as night training to ensure fair measurements.

Meanwhile, residents in areas designated as noise countermeasure zones in December this year can receive compensation annually for the next five years through applications.

Applications for compensation are expected to begin around January 2022, with actual payments anticipated in August of the same year after a review process.

A Gwangsan-gu official said, “We will continuously convey residents’ opinions to the Ministry of National Defense to ensure that compensation for noise damage is appropriately provided.”

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