Gwangyang City Council Adopts Proposal Urging Establishment of Seomjin River Basin Environmental Office

"An Independent Agency Needed for Integrated Management of the Seomjin River"

The Gwangyang City Council in South Jeolla Province, led by Chairman Choi Daewon, has officially submitted a proposal to the government calling for the establishment of an independent environmental administrative agency dedicated to the Seomjin River Basin, and for its location to be designated in Gwangyang City.

On October 15, at the 1st plenary session of the 342nd extraordinary meeting, the Gwangyang City Council adopted a resolution titled "Urging the Establishment of the Seomjin River Basin Environmental Office and Attracting It to Gwangyang City."

Gwangyang City Council adopted a resolution urging the establishment of the Seomjin River Basin Environmental Office and advocating for its location in Gwangyang City at the 1st plenary session of the 342nd extraordinary meeting held on the 15th. Provided by Gwangyang City Council

In the resolution, the City Council pointed out that the Seomjin River Basin covers a wide area, including Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, North Jeolla Province, parts of South Gyeongsang Province, and even Jeju Island, and is currently under the jurisdiction of the Yeongsan River Basin Environmental Office. However, the council highlighted that this arrangement limits focused and systematic environmental management.

The Seomjin River is one of Korea’s five major rivers and plays a crucial role in supplying water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use. However, the absence of an independent basin environmental office has resulted in divided management, making it difficult to establish an integrated management system. The major flood that occurred in the Seomjin River in 2020 once again underscored the issues arising from the lack of a unified management organization.

In particular, the Gwangyang Bay Area is home to large-scale industrial facilities such as national industrial complexes and ports, making pollution management especially important. The council argued that Gwangyang City is the optimal location for the Seomjin River Basin Environmental Office, as it is the center of both industrial and environmental management.

The City Council urged, "For environmental protection and the safety of citizens, we must no longer stand by. A specialized and independent environmental administrative body must be established as soon as possible."

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