"End to Landmine and Flood Fears"... Safe Waterway to Open in Mahyeon Stream, Cheorwon for the First Time in 65 Years

The collective civil complaint of residents in Mahyeon-ri, Geunnam-myeon, Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province-who have long suffered from the dangers of lost landmines within the civilian control line in the border area and flood damage during the monsoon season-has been resolved through mediation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (Chairman Jeong Ilyeon, hereafter referred to as the Commission).

Aerial view of Cheorwon County Office.

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On April 24, the Commission held an on-site mediation meeting in Cheorwon County, chaired by Chairman Jeong Ilyeon and attended by Mahyeon-ri residents, the commander of the 15th Infantry Division of the Army, the Cheorwon County Governor, and the acting Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, among other stakeholders. At this meeting, they finalized plans to carry out a lost landmine removal operation and river maintenance projects, including dredging, for the Mahyeon Stream.

Mahyeon-ri is a settlement formed in 1959 by 65 households and over 400 displaced residents from Uljin County, who lost their homes to Typhoon Sarah and relocated collectively under a government policy. Despite being in a semi-basin topography that makes it prone to the accumulation of water and soil, the area’s unique status as a military operations border zone has hindered the smooth implementation of erosion control projects for water management. As a result, the risk of accidents due to lost landmines and other hazards has persisted.

Recognizing that a fundamental and prompt solution would require not only large-scale military operations but also the participation of multiple administrative agencies-including central ministries and local governments-to secure personnel, equipment, and budget, the residents of Mahyeon-ri submitted a collective civil complaint to the Commission’s Collective Conflict Mediation Bureau, which was launched in January this year.

The Commission held several on-site investigations and working-level consultations with the Mahyeon-ri Residents' Countermeasure Committee, the 15th Infantry Division, Cheorwon County, and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, among other related organizations, to establish response plans.

As a result, a mediation agreement was reached to: in the short term, promptly carry out a lost landmine removal operation and dredging in major flood-prone areas before this year’s monsoon season; in the mid-to-long term, promote detection, removal, and maintenance of lost landmines throughout the Mahyeon Stream; and to establish and operate a civil-military-government consultative body for communication and cooperation on the overall implementation of these measures.

Throughout this process, the Secretary for Public Conflict Mediation at the Presidential Office personally visited the site to listen to residents’ opinions and coordinate cooperation among agencies. The Ministry of National Defense and the Army also decided to expand policy support and increase the deployment of personnel and equipment. This demonstrates a whole-of-government effort to enhance the safety of residents in border areas.

Jeong Ilyeon, Chairman of the Commission, stated, “Although the Mahyeon-ri collective complaint had remained unresolved for a long time, it can now be seen as a leading example of proactive administration made possible by the active cooperation of many organizations. We hope that Mahyeon-ri residents will now be able to live their daily lives free from the dangers of landmines and flooding. Going forward, the Commission will continue to proactively identify civil complaint sites in need of government support and work together with the public to resolve such issues.”

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