Launch of Hampyeong Joint Committee to Block Gwangju County Airfield Hosting

Amid ongoing discussions about relocating the Gwangju Combat Airfield to Hampyeong, Jeollanam-do, a broad civilian countermeasure committee opposing the airfield in Hampyeong has been launched.

On the 31st, it was announced that Yu Wonsang, Chairman of the Hampyeong County Farmers' Association and Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee for the Broad Civilian Countermeasure Committee to Prevent the Relocation of the Gwangju Combat Airfield to Hampyeong (hereinafter Hampyeong Countermeasure Committee), held a press conference at 11 a.m. on the 30th in front of Hampyeong County Office to announce the launch of the preparatory committee.

At this event, the Hampyeong Countermeasure Committee stated in a declaration that the explanatory meeting held last November, initiated by demands from unfamiliar social groups, has this year evolved into a promotional campaign for the airfield relocation, supported by the establishment of a promotion committee and administrative, public official, and civilian mobilization by Hampyeong County Office. They criticized that the project is being pushed forward behind closed doors by a small number of people without gathering the opinions of the majority of residents, explaining this as the reason for forming the Hampyeong Countermeasure Committee to reveal the truth.

They also argued that the population decline in areas hosting military airfields is a clear nationwide reality, and that attempting to attract a military airfield as a measure to overcome population extinction is an absurd sophism.

Yu Wonsang, Chairperson of the Countermeasure Committee (Nasan-myeon), cited opposition reasons, saying, “Regardless of where the airfield is located in small Hampyeong County, during long-distance flight training takeoffs and landings, the entire Hampyeong area will suffer noise damage. The county promotes only unverified advantages of attracting the airfield without discussing the expected damages.”

Jang Hyuk-hoon, Policy Team Leader of the Secretariat, appealed, “The new combat airfield planned by the military will be the largest single-class airfield, comparable to the Seosan Haemi Airfield. Although the county office claims neutrality by treating it as a small airfield, it is mobilizing public officials and residents on a large scale to hold promotional explanatory meetings. We demand that Hampyeong County Office clarify its position.”

Lee Hyo-rin, a resident of Nasan-myeon, stated, “We strongly oppose the relocation of the combat airfield that stirs up discord, warning not to sacrifice daily life to the mirage of development and progress that will shake the Hampyeong ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 29th at 2 p.m., the Hampyeong Gwangju Airfield Promotion Committee held a residents’ explanatory meeting at the Hampyeong National Sports Center. At this meeting, the promotion committee revealed the expected location of the military airfield in Nasan-myeon. However, since Naju City and Jangseong County fall within the flight safety zone and noise buffer area, conflicts with neighboring local governments are anticipated.