Gongju City Urges Complete Review of Transmission Lines: "Stop Forcing Sacrifices on Citizens"

Citizens' Task Force Adopts Official Statement... "Insufficient Explanation and Social Consensus, Concerns Over Infringement of Fundamental Rights"

Debate is intensifying over a transmission line construction project being promoted by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), as Gongju City in South Chungcheong Province has formally called for a complete review of the project.

The "Gongju City Citizens' Task Force Responding to the Transmission Line Construction Project," composed of public- and private-sector members, expressed strong regret, saying it is "a policy that presupposes sacrifices by the local community without sufficient explanation or social consensus."

According to Gongju City on February 25, the Citizens' Task Force Responding to the Gongju City Transmission Line Construction Project (hereinafter the Citizens' Task Force) held a meeting on February 23 at the Daebaekje Hall of Gongju City Hall. After reviewing the progress of the transmission line construction project, it adopted an official statement urging a complete reexamination of the project.

The Citizens' Task Force pointed out that "while the government is pushing ahead with the construction of transmission lines under the pretext of expanding the national power grid, it has not gone through sufficient explanation or procedures to build social consensus with residents in the affected areas."

It also stated, "Gongju City has been designated as a route area for the transmission lines even though it has no direct connection to the production and supply of renewable energy and receives no substantial benefits," adding, "We are concerned about environmental damage and violations of residents' rights to livelihood, property, and daily life."

It went on to say, "This is a grave issue that undermines fairness between regions and infringes on residents' fundamental rights," stressing, "We can never accept a policy that is pursued on the assumption of sacrifices by the citizens of Gongju."

The Citizens' Task Force officially demanded: first, a complete review of the government's transmission line construction policy; and second, the establishment of a decentralized power grid based on the principle of "Jisanjiso" (electricity produced in a region should be consumed in that region).

A representative of the Citizens' Task Force said, "We cannot accept pushing ahead with the project without sufficient consent from the citizens of Gongju," adding, "We will prepare every possible response measure that can minimize damage to residents."

Meanwhile, the Citizens' Task Force is headed by Gongju City Vice Mayor Song Mugyeong and is composed of 26 members, including Gongju City Council members, experts in related fields, citizen representatives, members of the Gongju City Transmission Line Cancellation Countermeasures Committee, and journalists. The task force plans to continue discussing its future response strategy.