Over 1,000 Rally Against Relocation of Gwangju Combat Airfield
Joint Committee: "We Will Stop It at All Costs"
The Gwangju Combat Airfield Muan Relocation Opposition Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Pan-Committee) held a pan-citizen rally opposing the relocation of the Gwangju Combat Airfield in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office at 2 p.m. on the 7th.
More than 1,000 residents of Muan County are holding a nationwide rally in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office. [Photo by Oh Hwanju]
The rally was organized by the Pan-Committee, with participation from about 1,000 people including social organizations such as the Muan County Council, the Prosperity Association, the Village Chiefs’ Council, the Saemaul Association, and the Saemaul Women’s Association. The event featured condemnation speeches, reading of a resolution, a performance opposing the relocation of the Gwangju Combat Airfield, and concluded with a street protest against the airfield relocation from the Provincial Office to Namak Central Park.
Park Moon-jae, the Standing Co-Chairman, stated in his representative speech, “The future of Muan County is not something decided by others,” and emphasized, “The people of Muan County themselves must decide, and Governor Kim Young-rok and Mayor Kang Ki-jung have clearly expressed their intention that the residents of Muan oppose the relocation of the Gwangju Combat Airfield and that the relocation should be conducted through a public contest to a desired area.”
He continued, “Ignoring this, they speak as if the relocation to Muan County is a given and label opposing local residents as selfish,” and explained, “We held this rally to condemn this and to firmly communicate the resolute will of the county residents against the military airfield relocation both domestically and internationally.”
He also downplayed the Special Act on the Relocation of Gwangju Military Airfield, saying, “The Special Act only provides budget support for the shortfall in project costs, and there are 16 military airfields nationwide, so it is doubtful whether the government will easily provide budget support,” thus evaluating the passage of the Special Act through the National Defense Committee as insignificant.
More than 1,000 residents of Muan County are holding a nationwide rally in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office. [Photo by Oh Hwanju]
Kim Kyung-hyun, Chairman of the County Council, Lee Ho-sung, Chairman of the Special Committee Opposing the Military Airfield Relocation of the County Council, and Park Il-sang, Chairman of the Muan Airport Revitalization Promotion Committee, explained the unfairness of the Gwangju Combat Airfield relocation being pushed forward while ignoring the will of the county residents and the reasons why Muan residents oppose the relocation, condemning the linking of the activation of Muan International Airport with the airfield relocation.
Following this, Deputy Chairman Lim Dong-hyun of the Muan County Council and Pan-Committee member Kim Sung-hee stated in the resolution, “Until now, the people of Muan County have opposed the relocation of the Gwangju Military Airfield without expecting anything, simply opposing it for years to protect the development of Muan County and our peaceful daily lives, and will continue to unite even more strongly in opposition,” and expressed displeasure at Muan County being mentioned as a candidate site for the Gwangju Military Airfield relocation, saying, “We will never tolerate any actions that incite conflict and division among the 100,000 residents of Muan County or hinder the development of Muan County.”
Finally, the atmosphere was heightened through a performance where balloons inscribed with “Absolutely Oppose Military Airfield Relocation” were simultaneously popped, and the event concluded with a street protest from the Provincial Office to Namak Central Park.
Muan = Oh Hwan-joo, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy ohj1358@asiae.co.kr
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