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BackgroundSouth Korea, the world’s sixth-largest nuclear power-producing nation, now operates 20 nuclear power plants, which provide roughly 40 percent of its total electricity needs. However, since 1978, the Korean government has built only nuclear power plants – it has not built any nuclear waste dump sites. The reason is simple: we are a small, densely populated country, and local communities and environmental groups have successfully campaigned to stop construction at every site that has been proposed. Most of our nation’s citizens recognize that a nuclear dump site will never be a “good neighbor”, and they have quickly joined our protests. What’s Happening NowBut in 2004, the Korean government got smarter. Realizing that public opposition to high-level dumps is difficult to overcome, government announced that it would build a low and mid-level radioactive waste dump site – but would not attempt to store high-level waste at this site. Further, the government is offering a huge financial windfall to the site selected: US$300 million to any community that would accept a low and mid-level radioactive waste dump. An additional US$5-10 million will go to the site annually. Finally, the headquarters office of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corporation will be relocated to the host area, providing jobs and more economic incentives. The government has actively promoted the dump site with a campaign of lies, telling communities that the radioactive waste dump will not contaminate the surrounding environment, poses no health risks to those living near the site, and will encourage economic development in the area. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT OPPOSING THE DUMP SITE! Instead, they are competing for it! The reaction of many local governments to the central government’s proposal has typically changed from ``NIMBY'' (not-in-my-backyard) to ``PIMFY'' (please-in-my-front yard), because of the supposed economic benefits. Many local governments (small cities and rural areas) find these incentives attractive because they foresee both development and economic prosperity from government’s funding of the dump site. The candidate cities and counties are Pohang, Yeongdeok, and Gyeongju along the eastern coast and Gusan in the western coast. Based on the results of regional voting scheduled to take place on November 2, 2005, the site with the highest popular vote will become the national dumpsite, given that at least one-third of that region’s residents cast a vote. Serious ProblemsThis process is fraught with many serious problems. First, the candidate sites have not been screened for geological stability and environmental impact. One of candidate sites, for example, is expected to be under water during heavy rains, is near a national park and protective zone for cultural properties, and is on an active earthquake fault-line. Another site is located near the source of the region’s water supply. Second, democracy in an election process has disappeared. Local governments which want to be selected for the nuclear waste dump site have mobilized their own public servants to campaign illegally. They have given money to people to buy “yes” votes and manipulated the application of absentee ballots. Because of these blatant abuses of government authority and financial corruption, we strongly insist that the Korean government immediately stop the election. … We appreciate your help and cooperation a lot – lives are at stake, and the government should not be allowed to “buy” a dump site location that may be dangerous to our citizens and future generations. All the best,
Ma Yong-Un |