Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Calls for Hwaseong Crematorium Conflict Re-mediation by Gyeonggi Province

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has requested Gyeonggi Province to sufficiently review disagreements between local governments regarding the Hwaseong Metropolitan Crematorium project and resubmit a report.

According to the province on the 2nd, the Ministry sent an official document on the 1st stating, "Since some local governments adjacent to Hwaseong have raised opinions that sufficient consultation and verification were lacking, Gyeonggi Province should sufficiently review disagreements between local governments and report the results."

In the official document, the Ministry cited Article 5 of the 'Funeral Services Act,' which stipulates that disputes between regions resulting from the installation of funeral facilities should be mediated.

The disagreements between local governments mentioned by the Ministry refer to Suwon city's opposing opinion.

On the 24th of last month, Suwon city officially opposed the Hwaseong metropolitan crematorium project in its response to an opinion inquiry requested by the Ministry, stating that "the location was selected without sufficient consultation or procedures with Suwon city or adjacent residents, and as a result, conflict mediation has not proceeded smoothly."

As the Ministry has sided with Suwon city and residents of Western Suwon who have opposed the crematorium construction, Gyeonggi Province and Hwaseong city are in an awkward position.

The province maintains a stance that it will consult with related departments and decide how to resolve the issue, but conflict mediation is expected to be difficult as the interests of Hwaseong city, Suwon city, and Western Suwon residents are in sharp conflict.

A province official said, "Even if we reopen the conflict mediation committee, I'm unsure whether relevant parties will properly participate. We will make efforts to mediate the conflict again, but if it doesn't work, we will have no choice but to report the results as they are to the Ministry again."

Hwaseong city maintains its position that it is not desirable for the Ministry's minister to re-examine and mediate matters that the province has already reviewed and mediated.

Meanwhile, the 'Emergency Countermeasures Committee to Stop Chilbo Mountain Crematorium Construction,' comprised of Western Suwon residents, stated, "The Ministry's request for Gyeonggi Province to re-mediate disputes between local governments because mediation failed is a natural consequence of Hwaseong city's crematorium agenda, which has been pursued without asking residents' opinions and through deception." The committee is pressuring the province, saying, "Now, Gyeonggi Province should seek an honest solution through principled review of the crematorium issue."

The metropolitan crematorium project, which Hwaseong city is pursuing together with Bucheon, Gwangmyeong, Ansan, and Siheung, targeting completion in 2017, has caused conflict as Western Suwon residents, located approximately 2-3 km away from the crematorium site, are opposed.

Ultimately, Gyeonggi Province's Urban Planning Committee visited the site twice and, on May 22nd, deliberated and approved Hwaseong city's application for changes to the Greenbelt management plan related to the metropolitan crematorium construction, then submitted it to the Ministry.

The Ministry plans to receive the mediated opinion from Gyeonggi Province again by the end of August and use it as reference for deliberating on the change proposal.