Gyeongbuk Provincial Council member Kim Kyung-sook (Democratic Party of Korea, proportional representation) urged the relocation of the Seokpo Smelter and measures to prevent algal blooms to resolve the water pollution issue of the Nakdong River during a 5-minute free speech at the 2nd plenary session of the 350th extraordinary meeting held on the 22nd.
Council member Kim Kyung-sook mentioned the water pollution caused by the Seokpo Smelter located at the uppermost stream of the Nakdong River, stating, “As Governor Lee Cheol-woo said during the national audit that a task force (TF) would be formed to relocate the Seokpo Smelter and report to the National Assembly, a concrete plan for relocation must be prepared,” strongly demanding action.
Kim pointed out the severity of environmental pollution, saying, “The Seokpo Smelter was found to emit 8,030 kg of cadmium, a Group 1 carcinogen, annually during the smelting process. In November 2021, the Ministry of Environment imposed a fine of 28.1 billion KRW on the smelter. Furthermore, a special inspection confirmed that the smelter operated 52 unauthorized groundwater wells, and cadmium levels exceeding the groundwater drinking water standard by up to 332,560 times were detected in 30 of these wells.”
Kim continued, “The Nakdong River is the drinking water source for 2.6 million residents, but microcystin, a toxic substance from algal blooms, has been detected. On July 26, an investigation of algal blooms at Andong Dam and Yeongju Dam, both covered with algae, revealed that the harmful cyanobacteria cell count exceeded one million cells per milliliter at both sites, raising concerns about residents’ health.”
Regarding measures to prevent algal blooms, Kim stated, “Recently, the government’s budget for reducing non-point source pollution has been cut by more than half, and the provincial budget is also grossly insufficient for preventing algal blooms. Additional funding must be secured to prioritize prevention of algal blooms and ensure safe drinking water for residents. A system should be established to prevent algal bloom occurrence in advance through pollution source management and improvements to sewage treatment facilities.”
Kim concluded her remarks by saying, “The relocation of the Seokpo Smelter is an extremely important issue, and I earnestly ask for its realization. Once again, I request the governor and the executive branch to prepare a systematic and comprehensive water pollution management plan at the provincial level to guarantee a healthy life for the residents.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
