Geochang Citizen Committee Against the Installation Project of Hwanggang Regional Water Intake Facility

Assembly at Meeting Venue of Public-Private Consultative Body Hosted by Ministry of Environment

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] The Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee related to the Hwanggang Water Intake Facility in Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam, held a rally opposing the ‘Hwanggang Wide-area Water Intake Facility Installation Project’ on the 17th near the ‘Hwanggang Jukgo District River Maintenance Project Situation Room’ located in Nakmin-ri, Yulgok-myeon, Hapcheon-gun.

On this day, the Ministry of Environment was scheduled to hold the ‘2nd Regular Meeting of the Public-Private Consultative Body for Diversification of Water Intake Sources in the Lower Nakdong River’ to collect and discuss local opinions. However, residents of Geochang and Hapcheon, outraged by the Ministry of Environment’s contradictory policy of securing a budget of 1.92 billion KRW for basic and detailed design in 2023, strongly voiced their opposition to the Hwanggang Water Intake Facility installation project, causing the meeting to ultimately break down.

The rally was attended by Shin Jae-hwa, member of the Geochang County Council; Lee Jong-hee, president of the Korean Agricultural Managers Association Geochang County Federation; Park Dal-ho, director of Safety and Construction of Geochang County; and about 15 leaders of social organizations, who strongly demanded the withdrawal of the Hwanggang Water Intake Facility installation plan that threatens the survival rights of Geochang residents.

Protest site against the installation project of Hwanggang Regional Water Intake Facility.

Secretary-General Lee Jong-hee stated, “The Ministry of Environment’s unilateral promotion of the Hwanggang Water Intake Facility installation project without residents’ consent and opinion hearing must be stopped,” and demanded, “Cut the entire 2023 detailed design budget to restore the trust of residents along the Hwanggang riverside.”

Going forward, Geochang County plans to expand and reorganize the existing ‘Geochang County Hwanggang Wide-area Water Intake Facility Opposition Struggle Committee’ into the ‘Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee related to the Hwanggang Water Intake Facility in Geochang County’ by February, and strongly announced that it will fight against the Ministry of Environment, which excludes Geochang County, by having Geochang participate as an ‘observer’ in the public-private consultative body as a direct and indirect stakeholder of the Hwanggang Wide-area Water Intake Facility installation project.

As the opposition level of Geochang County, Hapcheon County, and Changnyeong County is increasing against the Ministry of Environment’s unilateral project promotion, including the budgeting for basic and detailed design, the future response measures of the Ministry of Environment and Gyeongsangnam-do are drawing attention.