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Seoul Metropolitan Government tried to hold the first briefing session for local residents today (18th) regarding the plan to build a new incinerator in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, but it was canceled due to fierce opposition from the residents.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is planning to persuade the residents by forming a communication council, but the resistance is so great that difficulties are expected.



Correspondent Kim Sang-min.



<Reporter>



Masks with an 'X' sign and people wearing masks line up and move to the briefing room.



Before long, the inside of the conference hall was covered with banners denouncing the city of Seoul and the sound of whistle.



[White paper!

White paper!

Hundreds



of local residents of Mapo-gu gathered two hours before the briefing session.



[If you sit down first, we will have a Q&A session first.]



When they try to occupy the podium, a quarrel and a struggle with a public official who is trying to stop it arises.



[Byeon Haeng-cheol/Chairman of the Mapo Incineration Plant Baekjihwa Struggle Headquarters: They were trying to stop us.

Can they stop us?

(No!)]



The first public briefing session to explain to the local residents the background of the selection of the current incinerator site in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu as the site for the new incinerator was canceled like this.



The city of Seoul is explaining that the site selection committee has concluded that the site in Sangam-dong is optimal according to the procedure, but residents are protesting that it would be unfair to build another in Sangam-dong, which already has an incinerator.



Even if the existing facilities are demolished by 2035, the need to operate both incinerators simultaneously for 9 years is also making it difficult to convince residents.



The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it plans to continue the dialogue with the residents by forming a communication consultative body in which local residents and experts participate.



However, he also made it clear that he would hold people accountable in accordance with relevant laws for those who led the assembly and caused a physical collision.



(Video coverage: Chan-soo Lee, video editing: Tae-ho Yoon)