Gwangju City develops waste and funeral infrastructure to curb economic outflows

Gwangju City is facing economic and logistical challenges due to a lack of local infrastructure for waste and funeral services. Currently, the city generates approximately 1,270 tons of construction and industrial waste daily, which must be transported to neighboring municipalities like Yongin, Yeoju, and Hwaseong for final disposal. This reliance on external facilities results in increased transportation costs for local businesses and the outflow of local tax revenues, such as property and corporate local income taxes.

To address these issues, the city is pursuing several long-term infrastructure projects. A comprehensive waste treatment plant is currently in development, with a target operational date of 2030. Additionally, Gwangju is working to establish a public comprehensive funeral facility to reduce the high cremation fees residents currently pay when using facilities in other cities. The city aims to finalize the location for this funeral facility by December of this year, with construction planned to begin in 2030 and completion expected by 2032. The funeral project includes plans for five or more cremation units, ossuary facilities, and natural burial grounds, supported by a resident support fund of 15 billion won.