Industrial Waste Landfill Plan Fails Again in Busan Gijang-gun... Three Defeats This Year for Large Private Development Attempts

Ok Gyuseok, Mayor of Gijang County, "No Public Interest in Environmental Damage... 'Busan Version of Daejang-dong' Not Acceptable"

Busan Gijang County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] ‘He is almost unstoppable!’

The industrial waste landfill project plan, which was being promoted by the private sector in Jangan-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, has been finally canceled.

The determination of Gijang County Governor Oh Gyu-seok, who led the opposition movement including one-person protests, has once again prevailed.

Governor Oh Gyu-seok has long been notorious as the ‘Grim Reaper’ to developers attempting to develop natural conservation areas within Gijang-gun.

Following the cancellation of large-scale development projects such as the Ilgwang Samdeok District apartment complex and the relocation of Pungsan Factory, he has now also blocked the construction of the industrial waste landfill.

According to Gijang-gun on the 12th, the private developer withdrew the industrial waste landfill project plan for a 60,000-pyeong area in Jangan-eup submitted to Busan City, citing opposition from residents.

Governor Oh Gyu-seok said, “The withdrawal of the industrial waste landfill project plan is a natural result. The private developer has effectively surrendered to the opposition struggle led by the governor, about 850 Gijang-gun public officials, and 170,000 Gijang residents.”

Governor Oh stated, “I will never tolerate any act that destroys the pristine natural environment. For the residents of Jangan-eup, who have suffered from reckless development, we will create a healing forest in Jangan-eup and expand public facilities to prioritize residents’ rights to live healthily, their right to survival, and environmental rights.”

Earlier, when Busan City received the industrial waste landfill project plan and requested opinion consultation from the basic local government on June 3, Gijang-gun formed a task force team led by the governor to discuss countermeasures.

From June 15, they declared a ‘determined opposition’ stance and began taking practical actions. Governor Oh has conducted 32 one-person protests against the construction of the industrial waste landfill so far.

Governor Oh warned, “Pursuing a large-scale landfill project through private development, not public development, in conservation green areas that must be preserved is destruction of the pristine natural environment and grants enormous privileges to the private sector.”

He defined it as the second Busan version of the Daejang-dong scandal and has clearly expressed opposition to Busan City.

Residents’ representatives and citizens held four ‘Determined Opposition Protest Rallies Against the Installation of the Industrial Waste Landfill in Jangan-eup’ and conducted street protests around Busan City Hall to oppose the project.

Gijang-gun, concerned about environmental damage and seeing no practical benefit in private development compared to public development, opposed three project plans: ‘Samdeok District,’ ‘Pungsan Relocation,’ and ‘Industrial Waste Landfill,’ all of which have been canceled. Now, attention is focused on the remaining plan to expand the medical waste incineration facility.

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