Seoul Metropolitan Area Local Governments Including Gyeonggi, Seoul, and Incheon Agree to 'Minimize Waste Inflow'

Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment, Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul, and Yoo Jeong-bok, Mayor of Incheon (from left), are taking a commemorative photo after discussing the current issues of the Sudokwon Landfill Site and the operation plan of the four-party consultative body on the 17th at Nodeulseom, Seoul. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The three metropolitan governments of Gyeonggi Province, Seoul, and Incheon have agreed to minimize the amount of waste brought into the Sudogwon Landfill Site to fundamentally resolve the environmental issues of the site.

Gyeonggi Province announced that Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Minister of Environment Han Hwa-jin, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok discussed the current issues of the Sudogwon Landfill Site and future operation plans for the four-party consultative body on the afternoon of the 17th at Nodeulseom in Seoul, reaching this agreement.

The meeting was held to seek solutions to the Sudogwon Landfill Site problems, including the creation of an alternative landfill site.

The three local governments agreed to minimize the amount of waste brought into the Sudogwon Landfill Site to fundamentally resolve the environmental problems and to focus on improving the surrounding environment through eco-friendly and sanitary landfill methods.

They also decided to actively implement policies such as reducing waste generation and expanding recycling in preparation for the ban on direct landfill of household waste, continuously reducing the landfill volume at the Sudogwon Landfill Site. In particular, the three local governments will timely expand incineration facilities with sufficient processing capacity, and the Ministry of Environment will actively provide administrative and financial support.

Furthermore, the three local governments will promptly begin discussions on the creation of an alternative landfill site and regularize director-level meetings for practical discussions to implement the four-party agreement, including the Ministry of Environment.