Gwangju City to Demolish Old Asbestos Slate Buildings

1 Billion Won to Be Invested This Year to Renovate 254 Structures, Including Houses, Warehouses, and Livestock Sheds

Up to 7 Million Won for House Demolition; Full Support for Vulnerable Groups

Targeting Buildings from the 1970s and 1980s to Prevent Asbestos Dust Hazards

Gwangju City is moving forward with support for the demolition of old slate buildings containing asbestos. On March 16, the city announced that it will allocate 1 billion won this year to assist with the demolition of 254 slate buildings, including houses, warehouses, and livestock sheds, as well as to subsidize roof improvement costs.

Removal work of old slate roofs. Provided by Gwangju City

The ‘Slate Disposal Support Project’ is being implemented to prevent health hazards caused by asbestos dust that can be released from aging slate buildings.

The program targets a total of 254 buildings: 200 houses, 49 non-residential structures such as warehouses and livestock sheds, and roof improvements for 5 houses.

Accordingly, for residential building demolition and disposal, ordinary households can receive support of up to 7 million won per building, while priority households, such as those on basic welfare, will receive full support. For non-residential structures like warehouses and livestock sheds, financial assistance is provided for demolition areas up to 200 square meters. For housing roof improvements, priority households are eligible for 3.14 million won per building.

Priority support is given in the order of basic welfare recipients, next-lowest income groups, and households with multiple children, among other vulnerable groups.

Slate, which contains asbestos, was used as a building material for roofs and walls of structures built in the 1970s and 1980s. As these facilities age, asbestos can be released into the air, posing a health hazard, making safe demolition and disposal essential.

Since 2011, Gwangju City has invested approximately 10.5 billion won to demolish and dispose of 4,757 slate buildings and has supported roof improvements for 39 houses.

Lee Sangbae, Director of Climate and Environment, stated, "Through support for the demolition of old slate buildings, we will prevent health hazards caused by asbestos dispersal and create a safer living environment for citizens."

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