Geochang-gun Holds 'Hwanggang Intake Station Opposition All-Citizens Rally'

Threat to Livelihoods in Front of Gunmin Environment Department Building, Shaved Head Protest

The Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee related to the Hwanggang Intake Facility in Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam, held a 'Pan-Citizen Rally Against the Installation Project of the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility in Geochang-gun' in front of the Ministry of Environment building in Sejong City.

The rally held on the 2nd was organized in response to the Ministry of Environment's refusal to comply with the demands made during the Pan-Citizen Committee's working group visit to the Ministry on March 31, which requested that Geochang-gun be included in the affected areas and the public-private consultative body, and that impact investigations be reflected.

About 250 people participated in the rally, including around 90 committee members and about 160 members of social and agricultural organizations in Geochang-gun, strongly demanding the withdrawal of the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility installation project, which threatens the survival rights of Geochang residents.

Residents of Geochang County, Gyeongnam, are holding a "Countywide Rally Against Hwanggang Intake Station" in front of the Ministry of Environment building.

The rally proceeded with the chairman's greeting, speeches opposing the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility, reading of a resolution, free speeches, and viewing of a video documenting the struggle so far, concluding with a head-shaving ceremony to reaffirm their determination for resolute resistance.

Co-chairman Shin Jaehwa stated, “This project, which abandons the water quality of the main Nakdong River and changes the intake source to the Hwanggang tributary, clearly proves the failure of the Ministry of Environment’s water quality management policy. Nevertheless, under the guise of coexistence between upstream and downstream residents, it is causing conflicts among upstream residents,” adding, “We will engage in strong resistance together with the 60,000 residents of Geochang until the project is withdrawn.”

In the speeches urging the withdrawal of the project that day, three main points were emphasized from the perspective of Geochang residents: opposition to the Ministry of Environment’s unilateral project promotion; concerns about damage to local industries due to strengthened regulations in the upstream area caused by the installation of the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility; and the demand to include Geochang-gun in the affected areas instead of excluding it.

In particular, co-chairmen Shin Jaehwa and Song Ganghun condemned the Ministry of Environment, which ignores the opinions of Geochang residents, through head-shaving, reaffirming their determination to oppose the installation project of the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility.

Before departure, at the gathering place, County Governor Gu In-mo said, “The installation project of the Hwanggang Wide-Area Intake Facility is a critical issue that greatly affects the survival and property rights of Geochang residents. We strongly oppose the project being promoted without the consent of the residents, and we hope the Ministry of Environment will positively consider the opinions of Geochang residents.”

Going forward, Geochang-gun plans to conduct scientific verification of the results through external experts recommended by the county after the geological survey around Hwanggang and the pilot construction work, which are part of the Ministry of Environment’s ‘Feasibility Study and Basic Plan Establishment Service.’ The total possible intake volume is expected to be derived in December.

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