Samcheok citizens protest Taebaek smart livestock complex project

Citizens of Samcheok, organized under the Samcheok Pan-Citizen Joint Countermeasures Committee, held protests at the National Assembly and the Gangwon State Provincial Office to demand the cancellation of a proposed large-scale smart livestock complex in Taebaek.

The project, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, aims to build a massive layer hen farm housing 3.2 million birds on a 45-hectare site by 2031. The facility is expected to produce 1.86 million eggs daily, accounting for approximately 3.7% of South Korea's total production.

Protesters argue the project poses severe environmental and health risks, including the spread of odors, fecal dust, and avian influenza to the neighboring Samcheok area. They also claim that internal Taebaek City reports previously identified legal and administrative constraints regarding the site's use of state-owned forests and mountain regulations. The committee is calling for a National Assembly investigation into the selection process and potential irregularities, while Samcheok City officials are considering legal action due to a lack of procedural legitimacy and consultation with affected neighboring residents.