Environment: Society: News: Hankyoreh

Candidate Han Jeong-ae, Minister of Environment, answers questions from lawmakers at a personnel hearing held at the National Assembly’s Environmental Labor Committee on the 20th. Joint coverage photo

A person held at the National Assembly on the 20th, saying, “The Ministry of Environment should work according to legal procedures and principles,” regarding the point that the Gadeok-dong New Airport Special Act, initiated by the representative of the Democratic Party’s policy committee in November last year, was not considered environmental aspects. Said at the hearing. Regarding the Seoraksan cable car project, which was resumed by the decision of the Central Administrative Appeals Committee, he said, “We will carefully examine so that there are no procedural problems.” Regarding the point that the Gadeokdo New Airport Special Act, which he initiated, is a bill that does not take into account the environmental impact aspects, such as exempting the preliminary feasibility assessment and simplifying the environmental impact assessment, one candidate said, “In the view of the necessity of Gadeokdo airport, which personal Han Jeongae thinks, Reviewing new airports and conducting environmental assessments should be separated. “The Ministry of Environment should work according to legal procedures and principles.” Regarding the necessity of a new airport, he said, “A lot of logistics created in the southeastern region cannot be handled at Gimhae Airport, so they are sending them to Incheon Airport, paying more than 700 billion won annually. Greenhouse gas and fine dust emitted by freight cars during the logistics process (moving from Gimhae Airport to Incheon Airport) are also a national burden,” he explained about the legitimacy of the legislation. In a written response submitted prior to the hearing, one candidate said, “We will thoroughly discuss environmental impact assessments to minimize environmental impact.” Environmental organizations criticized that the candidate for the Minister of Environment had no concerns about the environmental issues that are concerned about the construction of a new airport. “An answer to avoid contradictions or problems of the new airport,” said Shin Soo-yeon, executive secretary of the Jeju 2nd Airport Baking National Action. “It is a civil engineering project for by-election that requires large-scale reclamation. Even if the climate crisis is intensifying due to the carbon emission of the airport and construction, the sea level in the future Flood damage is expected due to the rise, but there is no such concern.” In relation to the Seoraksan cable car business, a fundamental answer was presented. The business of the Seoraksan Osaek Cable Car project was canceled in September 2019 when the Wonju Regional Environmental Office decided on an unanimous decision in the process of environmental impact assessment. On December 29 of last year, the Central Administrative Appeals Committee, a member of the National Rights Commission of Korea, raised the hand of Yangyang-gun, a business operator, showing signs of resumption. According to the decision of the Central Administration Committee, the Wonju Regional Environment Office must dispose of’agree’ or’conditional agreement’ for the cable car project. Regarding this, Yang Lee Won-young, a member of the Democratic Party, asked, “It seems that the Central Committee for Public Administration has addressed the procedural problem. The question was whether there is room for minimizing the environmental impact of the cable car business through the process of supplementing the environmental impact assessment report. One candidate said, “You need to get the full text of the resolution so you can see what has resulted in (like this). It is pointed out that there is a procedural problem if you look at the press release (of the Haengshim Commission), but I will proceed carefully to avoid any problems.” Jung In-cheol, head of the National Action for the Protection of the Seoraksan National Park, composed of civic and environmental organizations, said, “The candidate did not give a clear statement. It was regrettable that I could not know how the Moon Jae-in administration’s environmental policy flow would proceed.” In addition, in connection with the government’s refusal to take measures such as opening tests on the Han River and Nakdong River to restore the natural nature of the Four Major Rivers, one candidate announced that he would persuade residents through the results of the Sejongbo Project. He said, “(Last 18th), the National Water Management Committee decided to persuade the residents based on the results of the’Sejongbo Leading Project’ to determine the time to dismantle the bo. Seeing that there are no problems with the Sejongbo Leading Project, I think that you will be more open to opening the Han River and Nakdong River (both gates).” By Choi Woo-ri, staff reporter [email protected]