Gwangju Seo-gu Council Unanimously Passes Resolution Urging Amendment of Military Noise Compensation Act Enforcement Decree

Proposed by Assemblyman Ahn Hyeong-ju

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho] The Seo-gu Council of Gwangju Metropolitan City (Chairperson Ko Kyung-ae) announced on the 3rd that it unanimously passed the "Resolution Urging the Amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the Military Noise Compensation Act," proposed by Councilor Ahn Hyeong-ju, at the 4th plenary session of the 307th extraordinary meeting.

In the resolution, Councilor Ahn emphasized that approximately 32,000 residents (around Chipyeong, Seochang, and Yudeok-dong areas), accounting for 11% of the total population of Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, suffer physical and mental damages such as depression, hearing loss, discomfort, and disruption of daily conversations due to daily military aircraft noise. However, the compensation standards stipulated in the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Prevention of Noise from Military Airfields and Military Shooting Ranges and Compensation for Damage are unrealistic and lack fairness, necessitating additional improvements and supplementation.

According to the current Enforcement Decree of the Military Noise Compensation Act, even if residents live in actual noise-affected areas, compensation is reduced if their workplace or business location is outside the noise-affected area.

The logic is that since military aircraft combat training occurs during daytime hours when noise damage is not experienced, compensation is reduced. Conversely, if a person living outside the noise-affected area has a workplace or business located within the noise-affected area, they are excluded from compensation.

Councilor Ahn pointed out, "The submission document regulations for reviewing whether to reduce compensation impose an excessive burden of proof on the damage compensation recipients relative to the compensation amount."

Additionally, he proposed three main recommendations: ▲ to promptly finalize the amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the Military Noise Compensation Act ▲ to delete the reduction clause on compensation and expand the scope of compensation ▲ to establish reasonable and realistic noise damage compensation standards.

Meanwhile, the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Military Noise Compensation Act submitted by the Ministry of National Defense is currently undergoing legislative procedures. If this legislation passes, Seo-gu, Gwangju, is expected to secure more than 10.5 billion KRW annually in military noise compensation funds, which are 100% funded by the national government, increasing the compensation per person by about 30% from the current 340,000 KRW to 440,000 KRW.

Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho yjm3070@asiae.co.kr

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