Pocheon Coal Power Plant Dispute Ends with "Win-Win Agreement" After 2 Years... Conflict Still Escalating

Commitment to Promote Regional Win-Win Measures Including Reduction of Bituminous Coal Usage

[Asia Economy Reporter Youngcheol Ra] The long-standing dispute between Pocheon City and a private business operator over the operation of the coal power plant in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province has been resolved through a mutual agreement, bringing an end to the litigation between the two parties for the time being.

The Pocheon coal power plant is a facility that produces heat and electricity using bituminous coal as fuel.

However, since the agreement includes conditions demanded by local residents and civic groups opposing the operation of the coal power plant, there remains a possibility that conflicts could flare up during the implementation process.

Pocheon City announced on the 11th that "an agreement for coexistence was signed with GS Pocheon Green Energy Co., Ltd., and both parties have decided to withdraw the ongoing lawsuits."

According to the agreement reached after four rounds of discussions, GS will implement the environmental impact assessment consultation contents and manage the total annual atmospheric pollutant emissions from the coal power plant, including Sinpyeong 2 and 3-ri, within 587 tons.

Additionally, the use of bituminous coal will be reduced by more than 50% from the initially approved annual amount of 1,297 tons. The agreement also includes prioritizing local talent recruitment, revitalizing the local economy, improving regional culture and welfare, and managing the surrounding environment.

Pocheon City also promised to approve GS’s applications for buildings and bio-SRF permits if there are no disqualifications and to promote local coexistence measures.

The legal dispute over the coal power plant began when GS filed an administrative lawsuit in 2019 against Pocheon City’s inaction regarding the building use approval.

Previously, the Pocheon Coal Power Plant Opposition Joint Struggle Committee (hereafter, Seoktubon) and local residents had opposed the plant since its planning stage in 2013, citing environmental damage and urban aesthetics concerns, and the city withheld the use approval.

The core issue of the dispute was the conflicting claims: Pocheon City argued that the environmental impact assessment consultation contents must be implemented to obtain building use approval, while GS claimed there is no obligation to implement these contents for use approval and that approval should be granted if there are no issues under the Building Act.

After a long legal battle, the city lost the first trial of the administrative lawsuit against GS’s inaction and the subsequent appeal was dismissed. In May last year, the city rejected the building use approval citing non-compliance with the environmental impact assessment consultation.

In response, GS filed lawsuits and administrative appeals seeking cancellation of the rejection and continued the litigation and appeals until February this year, when it requested a meeting with Pocheon City focusing on reducing bituminous coal usage at the coal power plant.

The city accepted GS’s request and began consultations in March, resulting in a cooperative plan addressing the key issues of implementing the environmental impact assessment consultation, reducing bituminous coal usage, and complying with pollutant emission limits set in the consultation.

Mayor Park Yoon-guk of Pocheon said, "The coal power plant issue, which started due to regrettable decisions by the previous mayor, caused years of difficult struggles by Seoktubon, civic groups, and citizens opposing coal. Now is the time to make a tough decision. Although it is unfortunate, the city aims to end the ongoing conflict through an agreement with GS and move forward."

He added, "We will continuously monitor the implementation of the agreement to ensure the efforts of all involved are not in vain and will explore various alternatives for environmental preservation."

However, Seoktubon set conditions, stating that "environmental monitoring and policy proposal activities related to the coal power plant and surrounding areas should be conducted, and Pocheon City must establish an environmental foundation dedicated to climate crisis and environmental issues, enacting related ordinances and supporting dedicated organizations and budgets."

They also expressed, "Although it is very regrettable and unsatisfactory that a coexistence agreement between Pocheon City and GS was inevitable, we respect the mayor’s and city’s decision. Going forward, citizens and Seoktubon will continue their roles in responding to the climate crisis and the anti-coal movement," leaving room for future actions.

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