Chungcheongnam-do: "If the Special Act on Support for Regions Affected by Coal-Fired Plant Closures Is Delayed Further, Local Economies Will Collapse"

Joint Meeting of Four Metropolitan Governments, Six Local Governments, and Four Power Companies
Urgency of Enacting Legislation for a Just Coal Phase-Out Stressed

Chungcheongnam-do has called for the swift enactment of a special law to support regions affected by the closure of coal-fired power plants, joining forces with local governments across the country to establish an institutional foundation for a just coal phase-out. Urgent voices have united, emphasizing the need for a national-level response before employment instability and local economic downturns resulting from power plant closures become a reality.

On October 21, Chungcheongnam-do held a meeting at the Cheonan-Asan Coexistence Cooperation Center to prepare an integrated proposal for the Special Act on Support for Regions Affected by Coal-Fired Power Plant Closures. Representatives from four metropolitan governments (Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Gangwon-do, Incheon) and six local governments (Goseong, Sacheon, Hadong, Dangjin, Boryeong, Taean), as well as four power generation companies (Korea Midland Power, Korea Western Power, Korea East-West Power, Korea Southern Power), attended the meeting to discuss joint response measures.

This meeting was organized in response to a suggestion raised during last month's Coal Power Transition Council discussions, which emphasized that the opinions of local governments on the ground should be prioritized.

Participants focused their discussions on key issues, including criteria for designating affected areas, the establishment of support funds, fiscal exceptions, employment stability, support for partner companies, designation of special zones, and the promotion of renewable energy and alternative industries, centering on 14 special law proposals currently pending in the National Assembly.

The provincial government warned that, starting with the closure of Taean Power Plant Unit 1 at the end of this year, 37 out of 61 units nationwide are scheduled to be shut down sequentially by 2038. It cautioned that if the enactment of the law is delayed, there could be serious side effects such as worker layoffs, bankruptcies of partner companies, and the collapse of local commercial districts.

Based on the results of this meeting, the province plans to compile a joint statement from local governments and officially submit it to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee.

Additionally, the province intends to continue consultations with the National Assembly and government ministries to ensure that local voices are reflected in the legislative process.

A provincial official emphasized, "Coal phase-out is a task of our era, but the regions must bear the brunt of its consequences first. If closures are pushed through without a legal support system, local economies could fall into an irrecoverable state. The government and the National Assembly must promptly enact a special law to lay the foundation for a just transition."