Incheon's Environment, Economy, and Safety Committee halts project lacking resident approval. Councilmember Baek Seok-ki advocates for residents through solo protest. Resident representative Kim Young-cheol welcomes project rejection.
Incheon’s Gyeongseo-dong residents, who vehemently opposed the “Public Thermal Decomposition Facility Private Investment Project” with 4,400 signatures, saw the proposal rejected by the Seo-gu Council’s Environment, Economy, and Safety Committee.
This decision effectively stops the project that lacked resident consent, forcing a complete reevaluation.
During the fifth session of the 278th extraordinary meeting of the Seo-gu Council on February 10, the committee rejected the proposal for the Incheon Seo-gu Public Thermal Decomposition Facility Private Investment Project submitted by the Seo-gu Office.
Consequently, the project, initiated in 2021, faces a comprehensive review due to resident opposition and environmental inequality concerns.
Gyeongseo-dong residents have endured environmental damage from various undesirable facilities, including the metropolitan landfill, for three decades. They highlighted concerns about fire risks and insufficient verification of harmful emissions associated with this project.
The Seo-gu Office’s attempt to push the project forward without meaningful resident engagement proved to be a critical error.
Despite residents submitting 4,400 opposition signatures twice, the lack of transparency and credibility in administrative procedures drew criticism from the council.
Councilmember Baek Seok-ki conveyed residents’ urgent pleas through a solo protest outside the meeting venue.
The committee cited the failure to secure resident acceptance as the reason for rejecting the proposal.
This decision affirms the principle that projects without resident consent lack legitimacy.
Residents expressed joy at the news of the rejection. Kim Young-cheol, the Gyeongseo-dong resident representative, welcomed the decision, stating, “The residents’ outrage and aspirations against the unfair project implementation have finally yielded results.”
Councilmember Baek Seok-ki expressed relief that Gyeongseo-dong residents’ hardships and efforts have finally been acknowledged, emphasizing, “This rejection marks a beginning, not an end. I will continue to prioritize residents’ safety and health rights in my legislative work.”
This rejection exemplifies how resident voices can impact administrative processes, underscoring the importance of public opinion in future similar projects.
Incheon = Reporter Lee Chun-man lcm9504@viva100.com
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