Noise and Dust Persist for 1 Year at Large Mart Construction Site in Hamyang-gun, Residents Protest

Repeated Requests for Crackdown Complaints, Administrative Authorities Turn a Blind Eye

Nonghyup Hanaro Mart construction site. Photo by Soonkyung Choi kv0122@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Residents near a construction site in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam, have been suffering from noise and dust for over a year and have continuously filed complaints, but the administrative authorities remain unresponsive.

The area where residents' complaints are concentrated is the construction site of the Hamyang Nonghyup Hanaro Mart in Gyosan-ri, Hamyang-eup. Following land reclamation work, Hamyang-gun issued a building permit from November last year to November this year, but residents continue to express discomfort due to noise and dust.

The area has been unsettled for a year as the project progressed from hillside reclamation to building construction. A massive amount of soil work has been carried out to level the hillside into flat land at the construction site. Large equipment enters and exits hundreds of times a day, causing muddy water, dust, and noise on the surrounding roads, inconveniencing residents.

Despite multiple complaints demanding crackdowns, the county has not presented any significant measures, causing frustration among citizens.

When carrying out soil work such as forest land or farmland conversion, facilities such as wheel washing devices or water spraying trucks must be installed to prevent dust or soil from contaminating roads and surrounding areas.

Resident A (54) said, "During about a year of soil work, we experienced inconvenience from dust and heavy equipment noise whenever the wind blew, not only on the surrounding roads but also in the area," adding, "I resent Hamyang-gun for ignoring residents' complaints."

He also said, "The noise is getting louder and the frequency is increasing every time work is done on site, making it even more painful."

A county official said, "We will inspect the site and do our best to minimize residents' discomfort."