Yeonggwang-gun, Yeongmin Farm 'Livestock Odor' Resolved... Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission 'Mediation' Agreement

Rural Area 'Rural Space Improvement Project and Environmental Enhancement Promotion

Relocation by 2026... Compensation Procedures Remain, Potential for Conflict'

Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 3rd that the collective complaint regarding livestock odor from settlers of the Hansen Village at Yeongmin Farm, which arose since July last year, has been resolved through mediation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (hereinafter 'ACRC').

According to the county, on this day, Yucheolhwan, the chairman of the ACRC, visited Yeongmin Farm in person, held discussions with residents, and inspected the village situation. Afterwards, he received a briefing on the current status of Yeongmin Farm and the resolution of livestock odor issues from the county’s Livestock and Food Division head, followed by an on-site mediation meeting regarding the collective grievance complaint.

The on-site mediation meeting was attended by about 40 people, including the chairman of the ACRC, the acting mayor of Yeonggwang-gun, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju, the representative of Yeongmin Farm, and five livestock farmers. They each signed the mediation agreement to resolve the odor problem at Yeongmin Farm and agreed on practical solutions.

The main contents of the mediation agreement are ▲the county will close five farms within the village through a rural space maintenance project contest and reorganize environmental improvement projects in the area ▲the Gwangju Catholic Church Maintenance Foundation will temporarily allow livestock farmers to use land until the maintenance project is carried out ▲livestock farmers will continue to cooperate in managing livestock odor until the pig farms are closed.

A scene from the on-site mediation meeting to resolve livestock odor conflicts at Yeongmin Farm in the Hansen Village, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, three days ago.
[Photo by Yeonggwang-gun]

Until now, the livestock odor issue at Yeongmin Farm had become entrenched as no consensus was reached with residents despite various efforts. Over the past six months, the ACRC and six related county departments closely cooperated through multiple working-level meetings and on-site investigations, ultimately producing this mediation agreement through such a process.

Although a difficult mediation agreement was reached, the relocation compensation procedure remains until 2026. It will be closely watched whether conflicts reignite during future compensation discussions.

Chairman Yucheolhwan of the ACRC said, "This mediation has temporarily resolved the conflict caused by pig farming operations in the Hansen Village settlement that had lasted for years," adding, "I consider it very meaningful as it provides an opportunity to improve the living environment of Hansen Village residents who have lived a difficult life amid prejudice and discrimination."

Kim Jeongseop, acting mayor of Yeonggwang-gun, stated, "This ACRC mediation was an opportunity to resolve the livestock odor conflict at Yeongmin Farm," and added, "The county will not neglect supporting the reorganization of the Yeongmin Farm area according to the mediation contents."

Meanwhile, Yeongmin Village is located in Deokheung-ri, Myoryang-myeon, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do. In 1975, the Catholic Yeonggwang Cathedral purchased 10,302 pyeong (approximately 34,000 square meters), and 21 Hansen’s disease negative patients discharged from the National Sorokdo Hospital settled in the village.

Most village residents sustained their livelihoods through small-scale livestock farming but closed their farms due to old age. As outsiders took over the farms, operations shifted to large-scale farming. Currently, about 8,000 pigs are raised at five pig farms, with daily manure processing reaching 40 tons.