Wo Hyung-chan Welcomes Formation of the 'National Airport Noise Countermeasures Special Committee'

Council of Chairpersons of Provincial Councils in the Republic of Korea Forms ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures’

Resolving Airport Noise Issues through Nationwide Coalition of Metropolitan Council Members

Expanding Solidarity from 6 Designated Airport Noise Countermeasure Airports to Airports Nationwide

Woo Hyung-chan, Vice Chairman of Seoul Metropolitan Council (photo), Kim Hwang-guk, Vice Chairman of Jeju Provincial Council, and Choi Hak-beom, Vice Chairman of Gyeongnam Provincial Council, expressed their welcome on the 8th at Cheongnamdae, Chungbuk, where the Council of Chairpersons of Provincial Councils in the Republic of Korea approved the formation plan of the ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures,’ stating that this marks a step closer to resolving airport noise issues.

Metropolitan council members from airport noise-affected areas nationwide evaluated that the formation of the ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures,’ proposed by Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of Seoul Metropolitan Council, will serve as a new turning point to overcome many problems caused by the government’s passive policies on airport noise and the failure to reflect the characteristics of individual airports.

Airport noise policy is classified as the responsibility of the central government’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and metropolitan local governments and councils where airports are actually located have been thoroughly excluded from discussions and countermeasures, resulting in a serious disconnect with citizens.

According to the Act on Prevention of Airport Noise and Support for Noise Countermeasure Areas, local governments have very limited authority regarding noise damage issues and must comply with the unilateral notifications and policies of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, with no room to intervene in the Ministry’s flawed policies.

Kim Hwang-guk, Vice Chairman of Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council, as a member of the ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures,’ declared that through solidarity with metropolitan council members from airport noise-affected areas nationwide, they will systematically propose appropriate countermeasures to related ministries along with regional joint responses.

Also, Choi Hak-beom, Vice Chairman of Gyeongnam Provincial Council, promised that the ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures’ will take on key functions such as understanding the current status of airport noise, discussing responses and policies, and seeking ways to efficiently utilize airport noise countermeasure projects through collecting opinions from council members of cities and provinces nationwide, including legislation and amendment related to the Airport Noise Prevention Act.

The ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures’ plans to play a central role in solving airport noise issues by expanding its scope beyond the currently designated airport noise countermeasure airports?Jeju Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Gimhae Airport, Ulsan Airport, and Yeosu Airport?to include Daegu, Cheongju, Wonju, Gwangju, Gunsan Airports as well as Muan Airport, Yangyang Airport, and Sacheon Airport.

The Council of Chairpersons of Provincial Councils in the Republic of Korea’s ‘National Special Committee on Airport Noise Countermeasures’ is scheduled to hold a meeting today in Seoul Metropolitan Council to discuss operational plans and future schedules.