Anyone who wants to develop land that is designated as a greenbelt zone must first receive a permit, but that requirement hasn’t stopped some people. Following a string of cases in which these preserved areas were illegally damaged, local officials say they will accept nothing but full compliance with the law. Mike Laidman reports.

[slug]
Harye-ri, Namwon-eup

This Jeju landscape has an unobstructed ocean view - part of what qualified it to be designated as a ‘greenbelt zone’ in July of last year.

But strangely, part of what used to be thick forest here is now empty.

On the bare patch of leveled land seedlings have been planted, with dead trees piled up off to the side.

[slug]
Man caught for damaging ‘greenbelt zone’

A 62-year-old man, identified only as (황) Hwang, was apprehended for destroying land designated as a greenbelt and owned by his wife to transform it into a farm.

[slug]
4,098 m2 of greenbelt damaged

Hwang is thought to have damaged some 4,000 square meters of the protected area without approval.

He allegedly illegally removed trees and dug up the ground with an excavator.

INTERVIEW
Yang Chang-hoon / Seogwipo City Planning Division
Prior approval is required to cut down trees in a greenbelt zone. Hwang destroyed thousands of square meters without approval.
<인터뷰 : 양창훈 / 서귀포시 도시과 도시계획담당>
"절대보전지역으로 지정돼있어 벌채 등의 행위를 할 때는 (행정의) 허가를 받아야 하는데 허가없이 진행해 훼손이 많이 진행됐습니다."

[slug]
Latest in a string of environmental crimes

Recently, environmental crimes, usually related to damaging the greenbelt zones, have cropped up one after another.

A suspect in his or her sixties was caught for constructing a building on 1,500 square meters of protected land near the coastal road in (하귀리) Hagwi-ri, (애월읍) Aewol-eup, Jeju City last month.

And a cafe owner is under investigation for destroying about 900 square meters of greenbelt land in (대포동) Daepo-dong, Seogwipo City.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon

The Jeju District Public Prosecutors’ Office, which was designated as an ‘organization focused on nature conservation’ last year, adheres to a zero tolerance policy towards all environmental crimes.

Mike Laidman, KCTV