Pyeongtaek Residents Campaign to Halt Solar Panel Installation at Lake Pyeongtaek

[News S= Kim Jong-sik, Senior Correspondent] Public opposition to solar panel installation at Lake Pyeongtaek is mounting, and calls for cancellation are spreading.

Following the "call for withdrawal" by Rep. Lee Hak-su (People Power Party, Pyeongtaek District 5) from the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee during the five-minute free speech session of the 5th plenary session of the 387th regular session of the Gyeonggi Province Assembly on the 26th of last month, civic organization activities have become increasingly visible.

On February 5, the representative held a press conference calling for immediate cancellation of the announcement for the Lake Pyeongtaek floating solar project. Subsequently, on the same day, he held a policy discussion meeting with local residents and civil society organizations at the Yedam Tea House of the Gyeonggi Province Assembly and launched joint response efforts.

The policy discussion meeting was attended by the Hyeondok-myeon Lee Chiefs Council, Hyeondok-myeon Resident Autonomy Council, Hyeondok-myeon Emergency Task Force Against Solar Panel Installation at Lake Pyeongtaek, Poseung-eup Lee Chiefs Council, Oseong-myeon Lee Chiefs Council, West Pyeongtaek Forum, Disability Rights Support Association, Pyeongtaek-Dangjin Port Development Consultative Council, Lake Pyeongtaek Research Institute, Environmental Movement Central Council, Anti-Corruption Gyeonggi Southern Region Alliance, and Pyeongtaek City Rice Farmers Cooperative.

On the 13th, civic organizations in the Pyeongtaek region announced they would mount joint responses with one unified voice.

Thirteen civic organizations in the Pyeongtaek region—including the Pyeongtaek Citizens Foundation, Environmental Citizens Union, Pyeongtaek Western Development Committee, Pyeongtaek-Dangjin Port Development Consultative Council, Lake Pyeongtaek Tourism Management Development Task Force, and Lake Pyeongtaek Solar Panel Opposition Task Force—held a meeting at the Pyeongtaek Public Activity Support Center on the 11th and decided to form a joint countermeasure committee.

The civic organizations plan to examine problems in the solar panel installation process and weigh benefits against drawbacks, then hold a press conference in March to launch organized opposition activities.

While these groups agreed with the RE100 (carbon neutrality) policy, they pointed out that installing solar panels on 20 percent of Lake Pyeongtaek, which is the lifeline for Pyeongtaek citizens, raises serious concerns about water pollution and ecological destruction.

They also noted that it would hinder the development of the Lake Pyeongtaek tourism complex, which is being constructed with investment of hundreds of billions of won, and that the process has significant procedural problems, with no opinion being solicited from key local residents and policies being pushed forward under the guise of government initiatives.

Regarding the solar panel installation at Lake Pyeongtaek, some civic organizations, as well as the Pyeongtaek City Council, Gyeonggi Province Assembly, and some mayoral candidates for Pyeongtaek have expressed opposition thus far.