Cheonan City: "Opposition Without Justification" VS Asan City: "Substantial Compensation Needed for Damages"
Chungnam Cheonan City and Asan City are intensifying their conflict, engaging in daily disputes over the expansion of the Baekseokdong municipal solid waste incineration plant. View of the incineration plant expansion site.
The conflict between Cheonan and Asan in Chungnam Province is intensifying as the two cities continue to clash over the expansion of the Baekseok-dong municipal waste incineration plant.
The two cities have been locked in a standoff for the second year, with each side insisting on either "opposition without justification" or "substantial compensation for damages."
The dispute over the Baekseok-dong municipal waste incineration plant began when Asan raised objections to Cheonan's plan to replace its first incineration facility, installed in 2001, which had ceased operations after exceeding its service life. Cheonan aimed to complete a new incineration facility with a daily capacity of 260 tons by February 2030, as part of the "Municipal Waste Incineration Facility No. 1 Replacement Project."
Initially, in September 2022, Cheonan appeared to be making smooth progress after signing a resident support agreement with a support council that included representatives from Asan residents regarding the installation of the replacement facility.
However, in January 2023, Asan requested a renegotiation on the site selection for the replacement facility, causing the project to stall ever since.
Eventually, in April last year, the two cities requested mediation from the Central Environmental Dispute Mediation Committee, which in December proposed a settlement: a 3 billion won mutual cooperation fund and an additional annual contribution of 500 million won to the resident support council for 20 years. The committee deferred Asan's demands for 40% representation of Asan residents on the council and an increased fund allocation ratio for further discussion.
When Asan refused to accept the committee's proposal, the governor of Chungnam Province began mediating the dispute in July.
In response, on the 28th, Cheonan held a press conference and once again called for active cooperation from Asan.
Lee Myeongyeol, Director of the Agricultural and Environmental Bureau of Cheonan, stated, "A study commissioned by the support council and conducted by the Korea Central Craft Testing and Research Institute, a professional institution, provides scientific evidence that the damage to Asan citizens from the Baekseok-dong incineration facility is minimal," adding, "Therefore, Asan's opposition lacks justification."
He continued, "Our intention is not to fuel conflict between the two organizations, but to express our hope that Asan will cooperate in a spirit of mutual benefit," and said, "To achieve our original goal of completing the incineration plant by 2030, a conclusion must be reached by the end of this year, so we hope for successful negotiations."
In response to Cheonan's claims, Asan strongly objected, stating, "We regret that the city has portrayed Asan as the party worsening the situation in the media."
An Asan official emphasized, "The root of this issue lies in Cheonan excluding the Asan residents living closest to the site when forming the site selection committee for the replacement incineration plant, instead composing it solely of Cheonan citizens, which sparked the conflict. Our demand for 40% representation on the support council and a 40% share of the fund is based not only on anticipated future damages from the new and expanded facility, but also on the harm suffered over the past 20 years."
The official added, "Even now, Cheonan should consult with the support council and accept Asan's legitimate demands. If Cheonan applies fair and non-discriminatory administration to the areas affected by the incineration plant, the two cities can coexist without conflict."
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