Discussion on Offshore Wind Power Compensation... Yeonggwang County to Promote Integrated Meeting with Fishermen

Meeting with Fishermen Held on the 3rd to Discuss Compensation Measures
Dialogue Platform Established Including Power Generation Companies and Local Residents
Progress Made Toward Introducing Community-Sharing Basic Income

A view of the solar power and offshore wind power facilities located in Yeonggwang County, Jeollanam-do. Provided by Yeonggwang County

Yeonggwang County in Jeollanam-do is focusing on developing measures to resolve conflicts among fishermen surrounding the offshore wind power generation project. Recently, the county has begun to actively pursue plans for profit-sharing between power generation companies and fishermen, as well as the establishment of a fair compensation system, including efforts to organize a meeting with the Fishermen's Integration Committee.

According to Yeonggwang County on July 4, the county held a meeting with the Fishermen's Integration Committee on July 3 to exchange opinions on the topics of integration among fishermen and reasonable compensation measures. During this meeting, the committee officially requested the organization of a fishermen's meeting. The county decided to actively consider holding such a meeting, which would include power generation companies, representatives of fishermen, and county officials.

The county also sent official documents to related organizations, requesting the submission of opinions for the meeting. Going forward, the county plans to do its utmost to respect the rights and interests of fishermen and to ensure fair administration throughout the process of promoting the offshore wind power project.

In fact, Yeonggwang County is currently working to introduce a basic income system to share the profits from the offshore wind power generation project with the local community.

In January of this year, the county established a dedicated basic income team and has also been operating the Haetbitbaram Basic Income Cooperation Group to facilitate interdepartmental cooperation for the implementation of the basic income system. The cooperation group is headed by the deputy county governor and consists of about ten members, including the director of the energy industry office, the director of the Gulbi Marine and Fisheries Division, and policy and political advisors.

In February, the cooperation group established the "Yeonggwang-type Basic Income Implementation System Comprehensive Plan" and aims to establish the first phase of the implementation system by the first half of 2026.

To establish legal, financial, and administrative foundations, the county is conducting weekly working-level meetings and monthly general meetings to review progress on related tasks.

On April 22, the county held a meeting at the National Assembly office of Representative Kim Byungjoo with officials from the Ministry of National Defense and the Agency for Defense Development to discuss in depth the coexistence of the offshore wind power project and the R-108C offshore shooting training area. The county plans to continue demanding policy adjustments to balance national defense and energy security.

In particular, the county is also working to institutionalize the return of renewable energy profits, such as excess profits from power generation companies, to the local community by promoting the "Ordinance on Resident Participation and Sharing of Development Profits."

Additionally, to ensure the successful implementation of the offshore wind power project and coexistence with the local community, the county is building a cooperative system with the Power Generation Companies Council. With Anma Offshore Wind Power Co., Ltd. as the representative company, the introduction of a profit-sharing system is being treated as a core task, and substantive discussions are underway on ways to share the profits generated from offshore wind power with all county residents.

Once a concrete agreement is reached, the county plans to discuss it with the Yeonggwang County Council, the Yeonggwang County Fisheries Cooperative, and other local community organizations.