Geumgang Estuary Ecological Restoration Task Force Launched: "Now Is the Golden Time for a National Estuary Special Act"

Yang Geumbong Appointed as Task Force Head; Inaugural Ceremony at Geumgang Estuary Bank on the 23rd
"Seocheon County Should Focus on Ecological Restoration Instead of Canal and Tidal Power Projects"

A civil-government-political coalition will be officially launched to call for the restoration of seawater flow at the Geumgang Estuary and the ecological restoration of national estuaries. As the institutionalization of "national estuary ecological restoration," which was adopted as a key policy task by the Lee Jaemyung administration, gains momentum, a sense of urgency about not missing the golden opportunity has become the driving force behind the formation of the task force.

The task force is urging the prompt formation of a civil-government-political consultative body to enact a "Special Act on Estuary Ecological Restoration" and is calling for the active participation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the responsible government agency, as well as local governments.

In particular, the task force criticized Seocheon County, which should be leading the ecological restoration of the Geumgang Estuary, for focusing on unrealistic policies such as canal construction (Gilsancheon to Panggyocheon) and tidal power generation (Geumgang Estuary), thereby missing opportunities for cooperation with the central government.

Yang Geumbong, former member of the South Chungcheong Provincial Council, has been named as the head of the task force. Yang previously served as chair of the "Geumgang Region Eco-friendly Development Special Committee" in the provincial council and as co-chair of the "National Conference for the Adoption of National Estuary Ecological Restoration as a Presidential Policy Task," which involved 317 organizations nationwide. She has long been at the forefront of establishing the institutional foundation for national estuary restoration.

The task force will hold its inaugural ceremony at the Geumgang Estuary Bank at 10 a.m. on October 23 and will officially begin its campaign to restore seawater flow.

On that day, Yang and about 20 other task force members will march on foot from the Geumgang Rest Area in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, to the Geumgang Estuary Bank in Seocheon County. They will also hold a press conference at the Maseo Parking Lot near the estuary bank to call for the restoration of seawater flow.

In addition, the task force plans to deliver letters of appeal to Seocheon County, South Chungcheong Province, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the National Assembly, and to continue citizen participation campaigns such as one-person relay picketing and forums.