Anti-Corruption Commission Reaches Agreement with US on Resolving Noise Damage at Pohang Suseong Shooting Range

Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission requested the Ministry of National Defense, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Forces Korea to develop solutions for residents' noise damage during a meeting with related agencies at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 22nd. (Photo by Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government has agreed to promptly devise a solution to the noise damage experienced by residents near the Suseong Shooting Range in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, in cooperation with the United States.

According to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on the 26th, Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee held a meeting with related agencies of the Pohang Suseong Shooting Range at the Government Complex Seoul on the 22nd, requesting the Ministry of National Defense, the Marine Corps, and the United States Forces Korea to "promptly present a solution that residents near the Suseong Shooting Range can fully accept."

The meeting was attended by more than 30 people, including Lee Doo-hee, Policy Planning Officer of the Ministry of National Defense; Kim Gye-hwan, Commander of the 1st Marine Division; Lim Seong-geun, Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps Headquarters; Ko Yoon-joo, Director of the North American Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Matthew O'Connor, Deputy Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Korea; Heo Tae-geun, Korean Deputy Commander of the U.S. 8th Army Command in Korea; and Thomas O'Connor, Deputy Operations Commander of the U.S. 8th Army Command in Korea.

Chairperson Jeon stated, "It has been confirmed that the average noise difference between days with shooting and days without shooting exceeds 20 dB(A)," adding, "The related agencies must present measures to resolve the prolonged suffering experienced by the residents."

In response, the Policy Planning Officer Lee, Division Commander Kim, and Chief of Staff Lim replied that they would propose solutions to address the residents' grievances.

Ahead of the upcoming Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) scheduled for next month, Director Ko and Deputy Political Counselor O'Connor, who attended the meeting, said, "The issue of the Suseong Shooting Range is a very important matter for the Korea-U.S. alliance," and "The U.S. government highly values the role of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in mediating and resolving the collective complaints regarding the Pohang Suseong Shooting Range."

Deputy Commander Heo and Deputy Operations Commander O'Connor stated, "Because the Korea-U.S. alliance is very important, the U.S. military will actively cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense to achieve good results."