Naju Mayor Election Transition Committee of the 8th Term: 'A Practical Solution Needed for the SRF Issue'

Published 01 Jul.2022 00:09(KST)

Naju City Loses Supreme Court Case Over Cancellation of SRF Power Plant Project Commencement Report Rejection

Statement Released on 30th: "Power Plant Operation Is a Reality... Will Prepare Practical Alternatives"

Naju Mayor Election Transition Committee of the 8th Term: 'A Practical Solution Needed for the SRF Issue'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] The transition committee for Mayor Yoon Byeongtae of Naju City in the 8th local government term has officially announced its intention to seek practical solutions to resolve the SRF Combined Heat and Power Plant issue, the region's biggest pending matter.

On the 30th, the Supreme Court ruled that it could not proceed with the hearing in the administrative lawsuit appeal filed by Korea District Heating Corporation against Naju City, seeking cancellation of the refusal to accept the SRF Combined Heat and Power Plant business commencement report, thereby upholding the decisions of the first and second trials in favor of Korea District Heating Corporation once again.

Accordingly, the transition committee issued an official statement late that afternoon regarding the Supreme Court loss in the lawsuit to cancel the refusal of acceptance of the Naju SRF Combined Heat and Power Plant business commencement report.

In the statement, the committee sharply criticized the 7th local government administration for not seeking any solutions other than legal litigation and expressed its determination to focus on finding realistic solutions from now on.

The committee judged, “Especially, with the Supreme Court ruling that Korea District Heating Corporation’s ‘Naju SRF Combined Heat and Power Plant business commencement report’ must be accepted, Naju City has lost all legal means and justification to block the operation of the SRF power generation facility.”

It continued, “During the 7th local government term, Naju City showed no proactiveness in the governance committee’s loss compensation negotiations, which was the only opportunity to resolve the SRF issue, and refused to accept the business commencement report to evade responsibility for the operation. When Korea District Heating Corporation filed a lawsuit to cancel the refusal of acceptance, the city clung solely to legal litigation without seeking other solutions.”

The committee also pointed out, “Despite the predictable loss in the Supreme Court appeal following defeats in the first and second trials, Naju City submitted the appeal to the Supreme Court on March 3 this year, seemingly mindful of the local elections.”

Furthermore, it criticized, “Earlier, on February 15 this year, Naju City’s expression of willingness to accept the ‘10-year operation plan’ by the Office for Government Policy Coordination was a duplicitous act anticipating the lawsuit loss.”

The outlook for the ongoing lawsuit to cancel the permit revocation for the use of solid fuel products, which is proceeding alongside the business commencement report, was also not optimistic.

The committee explained, “According to legal review, even if the city wins the lawsuit, it is judged that the operation of the power plant cannot be stopped. This is why Korea District Heating Corporation began trial operation for normal operation at the end of March.”

It added, “Due to the showy and duplicitous response of the 7th local government administration regarding the SRF issue, the operation of the SRF power generation facility has become an unavoidable reality. From now on, we will do our best to find practical solutions.”