"Passive Attitude Despite Widespread Citizen Damage"
"City Must Take a More Responsible Approach"
Lee Gwisoon, Gwangju City Councilor.
On May 22, Lee Gwisoon, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangsan District 4), stated that the Gwangju Metropolitan Government should take a more proactive approach in receiving reports of damage and investigating health impacts related to the recent fire at the Kumho Tire Gwangju Plant.
Although damage reports were initially collected from residents of Gwangsan District immediately after the fire, evidence has emerged that the actual damage has spread throughout the entire city. As citizens are reporting symptoms such as respiratory illnesses and headaches, concerns have been raised about the potential exposure to hazardous substances.
In a press release issued that day, Lee criticized the current response of the Gwangju Metropolitan Government as excessively passive and said that it is not appropriate to shift responsibility solely onto the district offices. She pointed out that leaving the assessment and response to each district cannot guarantee the safety of all citizens.
She went on to say, "The Gwangju Metropolitan Government must take direct action to investigate the scope of the damage and establish a reporting system that accounts for the possibility of damage to all citizens. If the administration remains passive in confirming the damage, companies may also evade responsibility accordingly. The city must take the lead and demand responsible measures from the company."
Lee also noted, "Although the fire has been extinguished, citizens continue to file damage reports. As of May 21, there had been 4,147 fire-related damage reports to the Gwangsan District Office, with 1,726 cases reported in a single day on May 21 alone."
Lee emphasized, "This fire is an issue affecting the entire city of Gwangju, and a responsible response from the city government is key to minimizing damage. Kumho Tire is one of the region's core anchor companies and is economically interconnected with numerous local partner firms. The city must take an even more responsible approach to this matter, not only to protect public health but also to safeguard the local industrial ecosystem."
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