Environmental Groups Call for Relocation of Air Defense Artillery Unit at Mudeungsan Summit in Gwangju

Call for Official Inclusion of Air Defense Artillery Unit Relocation
in the Military Airport Relocation Task Force Agenda

Environmental groups in Gwangju have demanded that the relocation of the air defense artillery unit at the summit of Mudeungsan be officially included as an agenda item alongside the relocation of the Gwangju military airport.

On the afternoon of September 29, 2022, an on-site meeting with related agencies regarding the relocation of the air defense artillery unit was held at Unit 8331, located at the summit of Mudeungsan National Park.

On July 1, the Citizens’ Coalition to Protect Mudeungsan National Park issued a statement urging, "The relocation of the air defense artillery unit at the summit of Mudeungsan must be included as an official agenda item for the military airport relocation task force."

The group pointed out, "The summit of Mudeungsan is the only area among national parks where public access is restricted, having been closed off for decades as a military facility," and added, "This not only infringes upon citizens’ right to enjoy nature, but also seriously undermines the value of the UNESCO Global Geopark."

The organization emphasized, "Because the air defense artillery unit has served to protect the Gwangju military airport, it is fundamentally a facility whose fate is tied to the airport," and stated, "Delaying the relocation of the air defense artillery unit separately would not only result in redundant budget expenditures and administrative confusion, but would also run counter to efforts to improve the urban environment."

The group also stated, "We hope that the task force led by the government will create a new model for the integrated relocation of military facilities and achieve tangible results," and added, "We hope that the summit of Mudeungsan National Park will be fully returned to the public."