노동권·물 공공성 희생 우려…전북 시민사회 “3대 메가프로젝트 중단해야”

Criticism from civil society in Jeonbuk has emerged regarding the government's push for the '3 major mega-projects', arguing that labor rights, public nature of water, and regional balanced development are being overshadowed by the justification of corporate investment and industrial competitiveness.

The Jeonbuk branch of the Public Transport Workers' Union, the Jeonbuk branch of the Labor Party, and the Jeonbuk Disability Discrimination Abolition Network, among 13 organizations, through a statement, urged for the halt of the rushed advancement of mega-projects pursued for the profit of capital at the expense of sacrificing labor rights and the public nature of water.

They feared that the government's mega-projects could go beyond mere large-scale investment policies to relaxing labor hours and employment regulations, and prioritizing the allocation of public resources such as water, land, and energy in regions to specific companies and advanced industries. They pointed out that the national industrial policy is being designed to reduce the costs and regulatory burdens of companies rather than protect the rights of workers and the lives of local residents.

Concerns are particularly growing regarding the labor exemptions in the 'Mega Special Zone Act'.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network strongly criticized the labor sector exemptions being discussed in relation to the Mega Special Zone Act. The Ministry of Employment and Labor's report to the National Assembly included proposals to extend the period of use for fixed-term workers from the current 2 years to an additional 2 years based on written agreement. There were also considerations to expand the dispatch of foreign investment companies within special zones and extend the settlement period for selective working hours from 1 month to 6 months.

It was also revealed that discussions included the introduction of the so-called 'white-collar exemption', which exempts managers and research and development personnel in the top 3% income bracket from the 52-hour weekly limit and legal provisions for breaks, holidays, overtime, night, and holiday work allowances.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated that the specific details of the Mega Special Zone Act have not been finalized and are under discussion with the National Assembly and related ministries. However, civil society points out that the fact that such measures are being considered at the government level cannot be taken lightly.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network criticized, stating that the extension of fixed-term usage and dispatch expansion are policies that perpetuate unstable labor rather than creating stable jobs. They emphasized that if labor hour regulations are treated as obstacles to attracting businesses, the Mega Special Zone could only become an exception zone for labor rights.

They expressed concerns about the possibility of exemptions starting in specific industries, such as the previous discussion of excluding semiconductor research and development personnel from the 52-hour weekly limit, spreading to other sectors like shipbuilding, construction, and defense industries, potentially affecting the entire labor market.

Regarding water resources being prioritized for industries, the amendment of the Water Management Basic Law and the plan to secure water for the semiconductor industry have emerged as major points of contention.

The amendment proposed by 12 lawmakers, including Han Jeong-ae of the Democratic Party, suggests considering ways to supply stable water for the national strategic industries. Although not yet passed by the National Assembly, civil society is concerned that if this amendment is realized, water, a public good for all citizens, could be used as the basis for prioritizing specific industries.

The government claims that it can secure the necessary water for the semiconductor industrial complex in the southwest region from the storage capacity and supply capabilities of seven dams in the Yeongsan and Seomjin river basins. Plans include increasing the capacity of the Dongbok Dam and additional water supply of over 1 million tons per day through unused water from nearby dams, water from power generation dams, and converting water from the Naju Dam for agricultural use.

However, civil society argues that the method of securing industrial water resources could shift the burden to local residents and farmers by converting water from agricultural and power generation use. There are concerns raised about the potential environmental and agricultural damages if agricultural water from the Naju Dam is supplied to the semiconductor industry and the shortage of agricultural water is compensated with water from the Yeongsan River.

There are also doubts about the feasibility of simply viewing the expansion of the Dongbok Dam as a facility improvement, as the scale of the storage capacity expansion could have significant impacts similar to the construction of a new dam, such as displacement of residents, ecological damage, and infringement on residents' living areas.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network emphasized that water is not a production factor that can be moved according to the needs of business investments. They stressed that prioritizing industrial water over the drinking water of residents, the survival rights of farmers, and river ecosystems shakes the foundation of the public nature of water.

Discussions have arisen about transferring water from the Seomjin River amid drought conditions, raising concerns in Jeonbuk about the potential transfer of water from the Seomjin Dam watershed to the semiconductor industrial complex in Gwangju and South Jeolla. Local political circles are demanding transparent disclosure of water distribution plans and consultation processes to ensure that the agricultural water function of the Seomjin Dam is not compromised.

Recently, the average water storage rate of reservoirs in Jeonbuk has significantly decreased compared to normal years, and the water storage rate of the Seomjin Dam has also dropped to the 20% range. Discussing large-scale industrial water supply under such circumstances could threaten the water rights of local agriculture and residents.

While the government explains that it can secure sufficient water from the Yeongsan and Seomjin river basins, the National Water Management Basic Plan has raised concerns about the possibility of future shortages of water for domestic and industrial use in these basins. Considering the increased frequency and intensity of droughts due to climate crises, it is difficult to be optimistic about long-term water supply based solely on current dam storage and supply capabilities.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network stated that prioritizing industrial water supply amid concerns about water shortages for farmers and residents due to drought is a matter of deciding whose needs to protect first. They emphasized that water distribution should not be unilaterally decided by the government and companies but should go through a public discourse process involving local residents and farmers.

Criticism has also been raised about the government's 3 major mega-projects, suggesting that they are fueling regional competition and conflict rather than promoting regional balanced development.

While the government is pushing for large investments in the semiconductor cluster in the southwest region and AI data centers, Jeonbuk has practically been excluded from the core target areas, leading to backlash. All members of the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Council expressed regret, and the local community protested against Jeonbuk being once again marginalized in national industrial policies.

With discussions emerging about utilizing the Seomjin River basin for the Gwangju-South Jeolla semiconductor industrial complex and the Yongdam Dam for the Hyundai Motor investment in Saemangeum, competition has intensified over which industry and region should be prioritized for the allocation of local water resources.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network pointed out that this structure distorts the original purpose of regional balanced development. Instead of changing the growth system centered on the capital region, it sets up large industrial complexes in local areas, creating competition between regions for investment, water, and power supply.

Previously, 125 civil society organizations nationwide criticized that subjugating local water, land, and ecosystems to specific industries as production factors is not balanced development.

The Transition Jeonbuk Network stated, "Demanding another large-scale development project because Jeonbuk has been excluded from the mega-projects will not solve the problem," and emphasized the need to question the national industrial policy that prioritizes corporate profits over the rights of workers and residents. They urged for the halt of mega-project advancement sacrificing labor rights, public nature of water, ecosystems, and local communities, and to restart with social discussions.

📝 Brief Summary:
Civil society in Jeonbuk criticizes the government's focus on '3 major mega-projects' for prioritizing corporate interests over labor rights, public water access, and balanced regional development. Concerns include labor exemptions, water resource allocation, and industrial water supply plans.

🗣️ Natural Korean Translation:
전북의 시민사회는 정부가 기업 이익을 우선시하여 노동권, 공공 수자원 접근 및 균형 잡힌 지역발전을 배제하는 '3대 메가프로젝트'에 대해 비판합니다. 우려사항으로는 노동 면제, 수자원 할당, 산업용수 공급 계획 등이 포함됩니다.

❓ Comprehension Questions:
1. What are the main concerns raised by civil society in Jeonbuk regarding the government's '3 major mega-projects'?
한국어로: 전북의 시민사회가 정부의 '3대 메가프로젝트'에 대해 제기한 주요 우려사항은 무엇입니까?
2. Why are labor rights and the public nature of water being overshadowed by the government's focus on corporate investment and industrial competitiveness?
한국어로: 왜 정부가 기업 투자와 산업 경쟁력에 집중함으로써 노동권과 공공 수자원이 가려지게 되었습니까?
3. What concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the government's industrial water supply plans on local residents and farmers?
한국어로: 정부의 산업용수 공급 계획이 지역 주민과 농민에 미칠 잠재적 영향에 대해 어떤 우려가 제기되었습니까?

💡 Vocabulary Learning:
1. overshadow (가리다, 돋보이게 하다) - 동사
- to make someone or something else seem less important or noticeable
- 다른 사람이나 다른 것이 덜 중요하거나 덜 눈에 띄도록 만드는 것
- The achievements of the students were overshadowed by the controversy.
- 학생들의 성취는 논란에 가려져 있었습니다.

2. exemptions (면제, 제외) - 명사
- the action of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability imposed on others
- 다른 사람에게 부과된 의무나 책임에서 자유롭게 하는 행동 또는 그 상태
- Some companies may qualify for tax exemptions based on certain criteria.
- 일부 기업은 특정 기준에 따라 세금 면제 자격을 갖게 될 수 있습니다.

3. allocation (할당, 배정) - 명사
- the action or process of distributing something
- 어떤 것을 분배하는 행동 또는 과정
- The allocation of funds for the project was carefully planned.
- 프로젝트를 위한 자금의 할당은 신중하게 계획되었습니다.

4. disclosure (공개, 폭로) - 명사
- the action of making new or secret information known
- 새로운 정보나 비밀 정보를 알리는 행동
- The company made a full disclosure of its financial records.
- 회사는 재무 기록을 완전히 공개했습니다.

5. perpetuate (영속시키다, 지속시키다) - 동사
- to make something, typically an undesirable situation or an unfounded belief, continue indefinitely
- 무한정으로 지속되도록 만드는 것, 일반적으로 바람직하지 않은 상황이나 근거 없는 믿음
- The outdated policies only serve to perpetuate inequality.
- 구식 정책은 불평등을 계속 유지하는 데 도움이 됩니다.

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