Citizen Sovereignty Committee approves deliberation process; Mayor Son Hun-mo pledged to cancel the project
Suncheon has decided to open a public deliberation process to determine whether the planned site for its next-generation public waste-to-resource facility — commonly referred to as a waste incinerator — is appropriate, ahead of a 2030 ban on direct landfill disposal of household waste.
The city announced Wednesday that it recently convened a Citizen Sovereignty Committee meeting and resolved to pursue a public deliberation process — a structured civic consultation — in response to a petition filed last month requesting a policy debate on the next-generation public waste-to-resource facility.
The deliberation will examine the suitability of the proposed incinerator site near Suncheonman National Garden, selected under former Mayor No Gwan-gyu (independent) to handle household waste excluding food waste, as well as the legitimacy of the procedures followed. Mayor Son Hun-mo of the Democratic Party, who won the June 3 local election, had campaigned on a pledge to scrap the incinerator project.
The city said the decision aims to resolve a long-running community dispute that has persisted since the Yeonhyang-dong site was chosen, and to develop forward-looking policy alternatives for waste recycling through a fair and objective deliberation process.
In line with the committee's resolution and relevant municipal ordinances, the city plans to form a deliberation steering committee to organize and oversee the policy debate.
The steering committee will be composed of neutral experts from relevant fields to ensure objectivity and credibility throughout the deliberation. It will organize policy debates, form a citizen participation panel, and draft findings and recommendations.
The policy debate is set to begin in earnest in September, following preliminary steps including the formation of the steering committee.
"We will actively incorporate the results of the deliberation into future policy decisions, and use this as an opportunity to build public trust in city administration through open communication with residents," a city official said.
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