Park Yong-cheol, Ganghwa County Governor, Holds Meeting with Marine Corps Division 2 on Current Issues

[Suwon Ilbo=Choi Ki-ho] Park Yong-cheol, Ganghwa County Governor, made a surprise visit to Marine Corps Division 2 on the afternoon of the 28th and held a meeting with Commander Jeong Jong-bum regarding current issues.

The visit was aimed at sharing the damage situation experienced by residents of Ganghwa County from North Korean propaganda broadcasts that have continued since July, and requesting that the Ministry of Defense actively cooperate in restricting ‘leaflet dropping to the North,’ one of the sensitive matters.

Ganghwa County has continuously requested the government and National Assembly to address noise damage from propaganda broadcasts, but no significant measures have emerged after three months. The situation has worsened to the point where affected residents have knelt down and appealed at the National Assembly's audit sessions, indicating severe resident damage.

Park Yong-cheol, Ganghwa County Governor, said, “Currently, we are implementing the designation of danger zones to prevent leaflet dropping,” and “We are taking all measures that Ganghwa County can implement for the safety of residents,” requesting understanding and cooperation from military authorities.

In response, Commander Jeong Jong-bum replied, “If it is for the safety of Ganghwa County residents, we will actively cooperate.”

Additionally, regarding the problem of inconvenient checkpoint access, Park Yong-cheol, Ganghwa County Governor, requested: “Change the checkpoint in front of Yangsadong Myeon Office to operate using the Hi-Pass system during daytime and face-to-face inspections only at night, and convert the Gyeodong Bridge checkpoint to a fully Hi-Pass system to minimize resident inconvenience caused by traffic congestion.”

Meanwhile, regarding countermeasures against propaganda broadcasts, Governor Park has visited Marine Corps Division 5 and Ganghwa Police Station shortly after taking office to discuss damage mitigation measures, continuously communicates with affected residents, and is exploring noise minimization measures including soundproof window installation.

Additionally, mental health counseling services have been provided to affected residents, and joint investigation teams have been deployed to affected livestock farms to conduct epidemiological investigations and provide livestock stress-relief measures. Furthermore, in cooperation with relevant agencies, counter-broadcasting to offset noise and precise noise level measurements have been conducted.