TAEBAEK, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — The population of miners in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, once a booming coal mine area, has fallen below 500 people.
The Taebaek Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that there were 487 miners as of late September, which represents only 3.6 percent of the miner population in 1989 (13,362 people).
Of 24 mines in operation in 1989, only one remains.
The Korea Coal Corp.’s Jangseong Mine, the last remaining mine in the country, will also shut down in 2024.
The population of Taebaek currently stands at 39,637 people, which is a more than 60 percent decline since 1989 (105,858 people).
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