Gwangju Samdo Incineration Plant Resident Briefing Canceled amid Opposition

First Step Canceled Ahead of Samgeo-dong Site Selection

The first resident briefing session on the installation of the Gwangju Resource Recovery Facility (waste incineration plant) was canceled due to opposition from local residents.

According to Gwangju City and Gwangsan-gu on June 26, the briefing session was scheduled to be held that afternoon at the Samdo-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Gwangsan-gu. However, residents strongly protested by blocking access to the venue, ultimately preventing the session from taking place.

On the morning of the 26th, the Samdo Incineration Plant Opposition Committee held a press conference titled "Exposure of Illegal Resident Consent for Gwangju Resource Recovery Center" in front of Gwangju City Hall in Seo-gu, Gwangju, shouting slogans. Photo by Yonhap News

This briefing session was intended to disclose the draft of the strategic environmental and climate change impact assessment, following the selection of the Samgeo-dong area as the optimal candidate site, and to collect opinions from residents. Based on this information, Gwangju City planned to prepare the final assessment report and proceed with the final site selection process.

However, the Samdo Incineration Plant Opposition Emergency Committee staged a strong protest by blocking the venue even before the session began. Residents physically blocked the entrance to the briefing venue, shouting "Absolutely oppose the incineration plant," and attempted to prevent the event by force. As a result, city officials were unable to enter and eventually left the site.

Gwangju City stated that, according to legal procedures, the resident briefing session could be replaced by public notices even if it is canceled. However, since persuading residents is important, the city is considering ways to reschedule the session.

Earlier the same morning, the emergency committee held a press conference in front of Gwangju City Hall, calling for a thorough investigation into suspicions of illegal address transfers near the candidate site. The committee claimed, "Ahead of the third round of public bidding review, illegal address transfers were carried out to inflate the approval rate," and insisted that "the masterminds and those behind these actions must be identified."

Residents of Hampyeong County, a neighboring area, also expressed their opposition. The Hampyeong Pan-County Committee to Block the Samgeo-dong Incineration Plant emphasized, "There are serious concerns about the hazardous substances that will be generated when the incineration plant is in operation," and urged, "Gwangju City must withdraw the construction plan that infringes on environmental and health rights."