Environmentalists Oppose Saemangeum Plan Revision, Cite Weak Public Briefing

Environmental groups are pushing back against a proposed revision to the Saemangeum master plan, and have also raised concerns that a public briefing meant to gather resident input was poorly prepared. The Saemangeum Permanent Seawater Circulation Movement Headquarters held a press conference at Gunsan City Hall on the 24th, calling for the withdrawal and re-discussion of the revised master plan announced by the Saemangeum Development Agency on the 20th. The group criticized the proposal, saying it "packages the failure of private-participation projects as public-led." They argued that while the plan sets the completion of reclamation by 2035 and expands industrial complex areas by 2.1 times the current size, it lacks adequate measures to address environmental problems caused by excessive reclamation and development.