Residents protest plan to build nuclear waste disposal site

About 4,000 local residents and environmental activists held a rally in Yangyang County, Kangwon Province, Tuesday, to protest the government’s plan to build a nuclear waste disposal site in the county.

In a statement issued at the rally, a coalition of 85 civic groups in the area, including the Yangyang Junior Chamber, voiced their opposition to the construction of a nuclear waste disposal site in the county, which they are striving to develop into an international tourist destination in line with the opening of Yangyang International Airport.

Rally participants urged the government and the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) to drop its plan to build the potentially dangerous facility in Yangyang, which is well known for its scenery and historic sites.

In a show of protest, 52 representatives of civic groups had their heads shaved and some 500 stores closed their doors that day. After the rally, participants marched 1.5km along a local street while carrying coffins in a mock funeral. KEPCO is currently accepting applications from local governments to build the nuclear waste disposal site and Yangyang is regarded as one of the top candidates. The deadline for applications is this June.

Kyung In-Soo sunghyun@donga.com