Utilities Firm Relocating to Gyeongju

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. (KHNP) has decided to relocate its headquarters to Janghang, Yangbuk in east Gyeongju, while a residential complex for about 1,000 employees of the KHNP will be built in downtown Gyeongju.

However, it is expected that conflict over the relocation of KHNP headquarters among residents in east Gyeongju and those living in the downtown area will continue for some time. Moreover, the KHNP union is opposed to the relocation itself.

KHNP announced on December 29 that it has confirmed Janghang as the relocation site for its headquarters and asked Gyeongju city to designate Janghang the area where land transaction is permitted. The KHNP will soon draft relocation plans and is planning to purchase the area and begin to investigate whether and to what extent cultural properties are buried there.

Janghang was first recommended by Gyeongju city as a possible place for KHNP headquarters in July of this year, as a total of 700 residents (about 170 households) are living there.

Janghang is 15 minutes by car from the Bomun complex of Gyeongju city and 15 to 20 minutes from Bonggil, Yangbook, where a mid- to low-level radioactive waste disposal facility is scheduled to be built.

KHNP said that it chose Janghang because the location is simultaneously close to the East Sea and the downtown area. Moreover, many nuclear power facilities are already built around Janghang.

In particular, in Yankbuk, a nuclear wastes disposal facility and two additional Wolseong nuclear power plants are scheduled to be built, and four Wolseong nuclear power plants are already under operation. So, according to KHNP’s explanation, if KHNP headquarters are relocated to Janghang, the area could be transformed into a Mecca for nuclear power.

Conflicts Still Exist over Plans-

However, due to KHNP’s decision to form a residential complex for its workers in downtown Gyeongju, friction among Gyeongju residents and KHNP will likely continue.

The local countermeasures committee on the nuclear waste disposal facility, consisting of residents of East Gyeongju, said, “We welcome KHNP’s decision to choose Yankbuk for its headquarter relocation, but we think it is problematic that KHNP decided to separate its residential complex from its head office.” The committee also argued, “The matter of the building of a residential complex should be decided under an agreement between residents and the KHNP.”

Meanwhile, those who argued for the KHNP headquarters to be relocated in the downtown area are saying that the KHNP decision is not acceptable.

The civil group on the crisis in downtown Gyeongju said, “KHNP’s choice of Yangbuk shows that the Gyeongju residents’ opinion was disregarded, and we will soon discuss countermeasures to deal with KHNP’s decision.”

Kim Jong-ju (69), head of Janghang, said, “If KHNP relocates its head office to Yangbuk, downtown Gyeongju will be developed as well due to geographical proximity. I hope that both the residents of East Gyeongju and those living in the downtown area will overcome the conflict and work together for the development of Gyeongju.”

Difference between KHNP Management and Labor Still Exists-

Meanwhile, the President of KHNP Lee Joong-jae was rushed to the hospital from the current headquarters in Samsung, southern Seoul on the morning of December 29 after being confronted with 50 to 60 union workers who oppose KHNP’s choice of Yangbuk.

President Lee had been suffering from extreme fatigue for the past five days while trying to select the relocation site.

Lee reportedly fell down suddenly after a 30-minute confrontation with unionized workers who tried to stop Lee from leaving a special meeting between management and labor workers on the relocation site for a press conference.

Consequently, the press conference for KHNP’s official announcement on its headquarter relocation, scheduled for 10:00 a.m., was canceled.

Kim Sun-jae, chief vice president of the KHNP union, said, “The management tried to announce such an important matter (relocation of its headquarters) without consultation with the labor. The union cannot agree with the management’s choice of relocation.”

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