Daehyun Kim, a member of the Daegu City Council (People Power Party, Seogu District 1), emphasized the severe hardships faced by residents of Seogu due to environmental infrastructure facilities during a five-minute free speech at the third plenary session of the 321st regular meeting on December 15. He urged the city to take immediate and concrete action toward relocating these facilities.
Assemblyman Kim criticized, "For decades, Seogu residents have endured nothing but suffering from foul odors and environmental pollution, without even the minimum conveniences or compensation that these facilities should provide." He added, "These facilities have now become symbols of urban environmental imbalance and injustice."
He further pointed out that, due to rapid urban development, these facilities are now situated in large residential areas, leading to a surge in odor complaints from 173 cases in 2022 to 13,451 cases in 2023. He stressed that this issue negatively affects not only Seogu but also the overall urban development of Daegu City.
Assemblyman Kim also described the policy change to underground only the sewage, rather than the entire Seodaegu Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant, as a unilateral and unreasonable alteration that deceives citizens. He is expected to state that measures are needed to prevent the waste of massive amounts of taxpayer money and to fundamentally resolve the suffering of residents.
Accordingly, Assemblyman Kim is calling on Daegu City to: △ immediately conduct a research study on relocating the food waste treatment plant and to pursue additional undergrounding of wastewater facilities; △ establish a consultative body for the relocation of environmental infrastructure facilities to facilitate communication with Seogu District Office and local residents; and △ prepare practical compensation measures for residents in the vicinity until the relocation of these facilities is completed.
Finally, Assemblyman Kim is expected to conclude his remarks by urging, "Since Daegu City is also working to relocate the dyeing industrial complex, which involves various stakeholders, I call for the prompt relocation of environmental infrastructure facilities, including the food waste treatment plant, with strong determination and wise policies."
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