Sharing Expert Opinions on the Pohang-Induced Earthquake Lawsuit and Addressing Citizens' Questions: A Public Forum
Mayor Lee Gangdeok: "We Will Do Our Best Within the Bounds of the Law for a Fair Compensation Ruling"
On June 12, Pohang City held "The Day of the Pohang Earthquake Public Forum" at the main conference room of City Hall, where citizens gathered to discuss ways to overcome the mental damage caused by the Pohang-induced earthquake and the related compensation lawsuit.
This forum was organized as a platform to share the current legal response to the Pohang-induced earthquake and to discuss response strategies with experts from various fields.
At the forum, Gong Bonghak, the representative attorney for the joint litigation group, explained the outline and progress of the Pohang-induced earthquake lawsuit. Lee Jinhan, a professor at Korea University, pointed out significant negligence in the geothermal power project process from a scientific perspective.
Professor Lee identified the attempt to hydraulically connect two boreholes by injecting ultra-high-pressure water as the cause that triggered the earthquake, emphasizing that the Pohang earthquake was a man-made disaster that had already been foreseen.
Kim Jinhee, a professor at POSTECH, addressed the topic of "Earthquake Disaster and the Self-Uncertainty of Pohang Citizens," analyzing the anxiety, pain, sense of alienation, discrimination, and damage to self-esteem experienced by affected citizens after the disaster from a humanities and social science perspective.
In the subsequent discussion, Lee Gukwoon, a professor at Handong University, served as moderator, covering a wide range of legal, psychological, and community issues.
Baek Kanghun, a member of the Pohang City Council, participated as a panelist and presented various opinions on the key issues in the appellate court's ruling, problems in the litigation process, and future response strategies. During the Q&A session, citizens' perspectives on the Pohang earthquake were also heard.
At the event, citizens strongly objected to the appellate court's ruling, criticizing it as a biased verdict that only represented the government's position. Many voiced that, given the tremendous disappointment and sense of injustice felt by the earthquake victims, the Supreme Court must deliver a just verdict.
Mayor Lee Gangdeok stated, "The shock and sense of helplessness felt by citizens after the appellate court's ruling are beyond words," adding, "We will do everything possible within the boundaries of the law to ensure a fair compensation ruling for the citizens' psychological suffering."
To respond to the appellate court's ruling in the Pohang-induced earthquake compensation lawsuit, Pohang City convened an expert advisory committee to analyze and review the appellate decision and discuss future response strategies. In addition, on June 11, Mayor Lee Gangdeok and local politicians personally visited the Supreme Court to submit an appeal letter reflecting the voices of the citizens.
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