As the establishment of an automobile maintenance plant was promoted in a residential area in Panam-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, nearby residents strongly protested. Residents urged the Dong-gu Office to cancel the construction permit, saying that various pollution such as air pollution and noise could infringe on their living rights when operating the factory.
About 10 residents of Panam-dong, who live near the factory site, held a rally on the driveway in front of the Dong-gu Office on the 31st and insisted on canceling the establishment of an automobile maintenance plant.
Company A is seeking to establish a two-story car maintenance plant on a 663.95㎡ (about 200 pyeong) site in Panam-dong, Dong-gu. On May 18 last year, the building permit was received by the Dong-gu Office, and the district office approved the construction on October 28 of the same year after consultation with related departments and deliberation by the city planning committee. Company A, which obtained a construction permit, began construction in April, but has temporarily suspended the establishment of the factory from the 9th due to residents’ protests.
Afterwards, Company A promised to take civil and criminal responsibility in the event of inconvenience such as compliance with workplaces and environment and noise through an agreement on the 30th. Despite these measures, residents maintain their opposition, saying that if a factory is built, it is inevitable to infringe on the right to live.
Residents said, “15 detached houses and 1,800 apartments are included within 300 meters of the factory, and three apartments are located with a wall,” adding, “We are trying to push ahead with the construction without considering the surrounding environment or collecting opinions.”
Residents also raised procedural questions about the process of licensing the factory site. They say that there are suspicions, such as applying for permission for farmland exclusive use and obtaining permission for construction without any sanctions, even though they purchased it as farmland in November 2020 and failed to comply with their self-cultivation obligations.
Residents said, “I have never seen the factory site being purchased as farmland for six months,” adding, “I wonder that the farmland that is not used for agricultural management has not been administratively disposed of. If the construction permit is obtained by fraudulent means, the source is invalid.
In the meantime, construction of the factory is scheduled to resume on the 2nd, and residents’ opposition is expected to spread further. Residents say they will not only protest but also sue if they push ahead with the construction.
A Dong-gu official said, “Unlike the residents’ claims, there were signs of growing crops when we checked the site before the exclusive permit,” adding, “It is difficult to stop the construction because the building owner is preparing an agreement to dispel residents’ concerns.”