Geumgang Estuary Ecological Restoration Task Force: "Seocheon County's Push for Tidal Power Generation Means Abandoning Restoration"

"While the Lee Jaemyung administration has pledged restoration, Seocheon County is moving in the opposite direction"
Task force: "Unrealistic policies must be halted"

The Geumgang Estuary Ecological Restoration Task Force directly criticized on the 23rd, stating, "Seocheon County's push for tidal power generation is tantamount to abandoning the restoration of the Geumgang Estuary."

The task force held a press conference at the Geumgang Estuary Barrage on this day, saying, "We welcome the Lee Jaemyung administration's adoption of national estuary ecological restoration as a state agenda," and evaluated, "This decision marks an important turning point that will lead to the advancement of water management policy."

The task force claimed, "In the more than 30 years since the construction of the Geumgang Estuary Barrage, water quality has deteriorated, fish have disappeared, and the tidal flat ecosystem has collapsed."

They further pointed out, "After the Four Major Rivers Project, green algae has spread, and the occurrence of toxic substances now threatens not only agriculture and fisheries but also public health."

In particular, the task force criticized Seocheon County, stating, "Although a discussion was held last June on permanently opening the estuary barrage through tidal power generation, this is an unrealistic policy that requires enormous funding," and added, "Ultimately, this can only be interpreted as a lack of commitment to restoration."

The task force proposed concrete measures for restoring the Geumgang Estuary, including: ▲ creation of a brackish water zone, ▲ reorganization of the water supply system, ▲ enactment of a special law for estuary ecological restoration, and ▲ establishment of a cooperative governance system among civil society, government, and the National Assembly.

They emphasized, "The Geumgang Estuary has long been sacrificed in the shadow of industrialization," and added, "It is time to put an end to greed and return a healthy, life-breathing estuary to future generations."

The task force includes former South Chungcheong Provincial Council member Yang Geumbong, Yoo Seungkwang, Chairperson of the National Council for National Estuary Ecological Restoration, Na Soyul, former Vice Governor for Culture and Sports of South Chungcheong Province, Jeon Ikhyeon, member of the South Chungcheong Provincial Council, Cho Dongjun, former Chairperson of the Seocheon County Council, Choi Mija, President of the South Chungcheong Multicultural Association, and Lee Seonsuk, Chairperson of the Justice Party Boryeong-Seocheon Regional Committee.