Gyeonggi Seeks NIMBY Law for Dangerous Facilities

Gyeonggi Province yesterday said it drafted a bill on providing financial support and compensation to provincial agencies and residents who accept dangerous or unpleasant facilities built in their communities.

The bill is intended to compensate residents suffering from existing such facilities and facilitate the construction of new ones facing stumbling blocks from "not-in-my-backyard" opposition.

According to the draft bill obtained by The Dong-A Ilbo, the province will allow committees comprising representatives from provincial governments, experts and residents to conduct objective studies of the damage and compensation for dangerous or unpleasant facilities.

The bill also allows the central or provincial governments to raise funds to support affected residents and cancel permits on facilities failing to win consent in advance from residents and the government of the area where the facilities are expected to be built.

Gyeonggi plans to deliver the bill to lawmakers of the province so that they can introduce it to a September session of the National Assembly for passage no later than the end of June next year.

Facilities subject to the bill include crematories, ossuaries, public graveyards, waste disposal facilities and sanitariums.

bibulus@donga.com