Gwangju Seo-gu to Accept Applications for 'Military Noise Damage Compensation' Starting January 9 Next Year

Published 26 Dec.2022 15:44(KST)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Yi-gang) announced on the 26th that it will accept applications for 'Military Noise Damage Compensation' from residents in areas affected by military airport noise from January 9 to February 28 next year.

Seo-gu estimates the number of eligible recipients for compensation to be about 32,000 people, with the Ministry of National Defense designating the target areas as three neighborhoods: Chipyeong-dong, Seochang-dong, and Yudeok-dong.

For residents' convenience, applications will be accepted at four locations: the 5.18 Education Center for the Chipyeong area, the Administrative Welfare Center for the Seochang area, the Deokheung Village Hall for the Yudeok area, and the 5th floor of the Geosong Building (Military Noise Compensation Team) for other areas.

The compensation amount is calculated comprehensively based on the noise level, reduction criteria, and length of residence, following the Supreme Court precedent compensation standards.

Based on the WECPNL (Weighted Equivalent Continuous Perceived Noise Level) unit used to evaluate fighter jet noise, differentiated monthly payments are made: Type 1 (95 WECPNL or higher) receives 60,000 KRW, Type 2 (90?94 WECPNL) receives 45,000 KRW, and Type 3 (85?89 WECPNL) receives 30,000 KRW. Some reduction rules apply depending on the move-in date and distance from workplace or work location.

This year, compensation will be calculated for the 12 months of 2022. After application submission, the compensation amount will be determined and notified by the end of May, and payments will be made to individual accounts by the end of August.

Residents who did not apply for compensation in 2022 can apply next year by combining the amounts.

A Seo-gu official said, "We have set up application desks near each village to facilitate smooth reception for affected residents," adding, "We will make further efforts in military noise compensation administration to ensure there are no inconveniences from application to payment."

For more details, residents can check postal mail, apartment bulletin boards, and the Seo-gu Office website. The compensation target areas can be confirmed through the Military Airfield Noise Area Inquiry System and the Military Noise Portal.