Gyeongnam Province Launches 'Visiting Environmental Dispute Mediation Counseling Service' to Aid Residents Affected by Last Year's Flood Damage

Residents of Four Cities and Counties in the Province Affected by Floods to Apply for Mediation with the Central Environmental Dispute Mediation Committee

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Gyeongsangnam-do operated a 'Visiting Environmental Dispute Mediation Consultation Office' last August to assist residents affected by flood damage caused by dam discharge.

The areas affected by the flood damage include Jinju, Sacheon, Hadong, and Hapcheon.

Currently, the Ministry of Environment plans to announce the results of the 'Investigation on the Causes of Flood Damage Downstream of the Dam' in June to provide a clear analysis of the causes of flood damage caused by dam discharge.

In connection with this, the relevant city and county governments are conducting damage investigations through loss assessments.

The Ministry of Environment intends to utilize the central environmental dispute mediation system to support residents in remedying their damages.

On May 6, Gyeongsangnam-do held a meeting for preliminary environmental dispute mediation consultations with four city and county governments in the province, resident representatives, specialized lawyers in environmental dispute mediation, and professors in the field of architecture.

This time, they visited Hapcheon-gun, where the flood damage investigation was completed first in the province, to operate the 'Visiting Environmental Dispute Mediation Consultation Office.'

In Hapcheon-gun, from January this year, after residents' objections were submitted for the damaged areas within Hapcheon, the investigation was completed by the end of May. Additionally, two resident representatives among the applicants have been selected and preparations for applying for environmental dispute mediation are complete.

Jung Seok-won, Director of the Climate, Environment, and Forestry Bureau of Gyeongsangnam-do, stated, "We hope that the operation of the 'Visiting Environmental Dispute Mediation Consultation Office' will yield results that satisfy the residents," and added, "For the remaining three city and county governments in the province, we will expand the 'Visiting Environmental Dispute Mediation Consultation Office' in June as the loss assessment services are completed."

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