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๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Conflict & Security

Surprise Logging Before Permit Revocation Sparks Outrage in Yongin

From Hankyoreh · (13m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A forest near Galsan Park in Yongin City, South Korea, has been "surprise logged" just before its development permit was set to be revoked.
  • The logging occurred despite the development site lacking the legally required 6-meter access road, a condition that led to the permit's cancellation.
  • Residents have filed complaints against city officials, accusing them of dereliction of duty and embezzlement, as the forest was significantly damaged before the permit's official revocation.

A shocking environmental destruction has occurred on the outskirts of Yongin City, South Korea, where a vital forest area near Galsan Park has been subjected to "surprise logging" just days before its development permit was slated for cancellation. This incident has ignited public outrage and raised serious questions about administrative oversight and the integrity of development processes in the region.

The city approved a permit for land that couldn't even secure a road, allowing the developer to brazenly cut down the mountain.

โ€” JungA local resident expressing frustration over the city's handling of the development and subsequent logging.

The crux of the issue lies in Yongin City's "conditional approval" of a development project for a commercial facility on a 5,595ใŽก plot of forest land. The development was initially rejected due to insufficient road width, failing to meet the legal requirement of 6 meters. However, the city granted a conditional permit, requiring the developer to contribute to public good by widening the access road. This decision, now widely criticized as "desk-bound administration," proved flawed when subsequent measurements revealed that securing the required road width without encroaching on parkland was physically impossible.

Compounding the problem, the developer, unable to meet the road access requirements by the April 12th deadline, had their application for an extension denied on April 15th, triggering the permit revocation process. In the interim, between April 13th and the official revocation, the developer proceeded with extensive logging. This move, exploiting a legal loophole where logging cannot be prohibited once a permit is granted but before it is officially revoked, has been decried as a "last-ditch" act of destruction.

We initially believed road width could be secured due to a surveying error.

โ€” City OfficialAcknowledging the administrative oversight that led to the flawed conditional permit.

Local residents, who had repeatedly voiced concerns, are furious. One resident, identified only as Jung, expressed dismay, stating, "The city approved a permit for land that couldn't even secure a road, allowing the developer to brazenly cut down the mountain." Jung has filed a complaint against Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il and relevant officials for dereliction of duty and embezzlement. The situation is further complicated by the land's ownership history, having been sold to a real estate developer just four months after the conditional permit was issued, raising suspicions about the transaction's timing and transparency. This incident underscores a critical need for stricter environmental regulations and more rigorous administrative scrutiny in development projects.

What's the point of revoking the permit after the mountain is already ruined?

โ€” JungA local resident questioning the effectiveness of the permit revocation after the environmental damage has occurred.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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