Gyeonggi Province Detects 20 Cases of Illegal Forestland Damage, Area Equal to 1.5 Times Football Field

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Illegal operators who altered forestland without authorization and installed unauthorized facilities have been caught by Gyeonggi Province's Civil Special Investigation Police Unit.

The total area where these individuals damaged the natural ecosystem and forestland landscape amounts to 11,050 square meters, approximately 1.5 times the size of a soccer field.

According to the Gyeonggi Province Civil Special Investigation Police Unit on the 5th, from April 10 to 21, field inspections were conducted on 184 forestland parcels in the province where damage was suspected through aerial photographs, resulting in the detection of 20 violations of the Forestry Act.

Violation cases include ▲7 cases of illegal facility installations ▲3 cases of unauthorized parking lot construction ▲3 cases of unauthorized burial ground creation ▲1 case of unauthorized farmland creation ▲6 cases of other forestland damage, totaling 20 Forestry Act violations.

Reviewing major detected cases, Mr. A in Pyeongtaek used 1,000 square meters of forestland as a business parking lot without forestland conversion permission and was caught. Mr. B created a 750-square-meter parking lot for a cafe in Pyeongtaek, Ms. E installed a vinyl greenhouse for agricultural machinery storage on 96 square meters of forestland in Yangju, and Mr. C installed a warehouse (for camping facilities) on 286 square meters of forestland in Yeoju, each detected for violating the Forestry Act.

The province plans to take strict measures against the detected illegal activities by requesting rapid restoration and administrative action from relevant local governments and referring cases to prosecutors.

The Gyeonggi Province Civil Special Investigation Police Unit is receiving reports of illegal activities from residents through its website (www.gg.go.kr/gg_sprcial_cop) or the Gyeonggi Province Call Center (031-120).