The National Environmental Dispute Resolution Commission from the Ministry of Environment announced the 5 most noticeable environmental conflicts of the calendar year of 2015. A total number of 232 conflicts occurred over the past year. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec.31 (Korea Bizwire) – The National Environmental Dispute Resolution Commission from the Ministry of Environment announced the 5 most noticeable environmental conflicts of the calendar year of 2015. A total number of 232 conflicts occurred over the past year.
According to the announcement, the first case focused on recognizing the harm that major crops underwent due to severe ‘light pollution’. Kim, a farmer in Gunpo city was compensated with 770,000 won after the harvest of wild sesame and beans sharply dropped 85 percent and 19 percent respectively, due to the strong night lights coming from a nearby train station.
The second conflict was the cause of damages to local aquarium fish. This was found to be due to the ongoing subway construction, and has been acknowledged. Kim, who breeds and sells aquarium fish was compensated with 28,270,000 won when his fish died or became damaged due to the vibrations caused by a nearby subway construction site.
Mun, who owns a bee farm in Yesan, was compensated with 35,650,000 won after his bees died from the toxic smoke waste coming from a nearby soot factory. Damages caused by noise or vibrations were recognized in the bee farming industry, but this was the first case in which damages caused by smoke was acknowledged as a concern towards the health of bees.
Not only does bad air quality damage the bees, but it also has a negative influence on one’s mental health and damages which that have been caused by the toxic air pollution were compensated. Kim, who lives in Gimpo claimed that the chrome produced from a nearby factory caused neurological damage, and was compensated with 1,350,000 won.
Monetary compensation concerning noise levels negatively affecting a dog training facility was decided to be given even though the noise of the nearby construction site did not exceed the standard noise levels.
72 percent of all known environmental damages and concerns, approximately 167 cases were settled through arbitration, and 16 percent, or 38 cases were ended through settlements agreed upon by whomever that the damages were caused by and to.
‘Noise and vibrations’ caused the most number of conflicts (174 cases). There were 12 cases with ‘sunshine’ being a conflict and about 10 cases due to the environmental ‘air pollution’ followed.
By Francine Jung (francine.jung@kobizmedia.co.kr)
