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Mt. Halla in custody battleJeju and Seoul at odds over management of iconic Mt. Halla |
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| ▲ The central government decided on May 25 to take over management of Mt. Halla National Park, but local officials point out that Jeju is responsible for overseeing the park’s UNESCO designation. Photo courtesy Jeju Special Self-Governing Province |
Update: Aug. 12, 2011
This story has had a recent development. For the latest, please click here.
Controversy has erupted between Jeju and Seoul over the management of Mt. Halla.
The Presidential Commission for Decentralization has decided that managerial control of Mt. Halla will be transferred from Jeju to the Korea National Park Authority under the Ministry of Environment. The decision was made during a conference conducted by the commission on May 25, according to a press release from the Ministry of Environment’s Nature Conservation Bureau in Seoul.
Due to a reported miscommunication stemming from multiple lost letters conveying the May decision and other delays, the Jeju government was first informed on June 27 that the management of Mt. Halla would be transferred to the central government.
Jeju Governor Woo Keun Min flew to Seoul on July 11 to meet head officials and plead Jeju’s case to retain management rights over Mt. Halla.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Environment, during the meeting former Vice Minister of Environment Moon Jung Ho said it would be “difficult to retract the decision since the issue was settled by the Presidential Commission for Decentralization.”
The decision to transfer managerial control of Mt. Halla remains under review.
According to a July 24 article in Headline Jeju, Jeju Provincial Assembly Chairman Moon Dae Lim is frustrated with the recent turn of events and has decided to take the issue upon himself. Moon said that central government officers are stating they will strive to come to a solution, but he feels that if the present state continues, Mt. Halla management rights will eventually be awarded to the central government.
The article continues that Presidential Commission for Decentralization Chief Bae Yong Tae understands Jeju’s position but that it is necessary to listen to the Ministry of Environment, while the Environment Preservation Department in Seoul said it is set on transferring managerial power to the central government.
Moon is concerned since the decision is backed by President Lee Myung Bak and said that it is necessary for the Jeju government to present concrete reasons as to why the island should continue to manage Mt. Halla.
In the article, Moon stressed that the Commission for Decentralization needs to reassess their decision in a more procedural manner, but for this to occur Jeju needs to present logical arguments.
Also, Moon encouraged the citizens of Jeju to take a more active role in this conflict to ensure that the island maintains its present managerial rights.
He concluded by stating his disappointment with how Jeju government officials have handled the situation, considering that the privilege of managing Mt. Halla is not only about administration, but the emotions of the island’s citizens.
This sentiment was echoed in a July 24 article by Media Jeju which paraphrases the Jeju Provincial Assembly as saying that if the Ministry of Environment doesn’t change their stance concerning this issue, there must be a strong movement of opposition from the Jeju people, and that they will take measures to ensure that they Jeju people are heard.
The Ministry of Environment stated in a press release the reason to transfer control was to align with the global standard.
According to the same report, it would aid administration and budget operations through enhancing “affordable manpower,” and those currently employed at Mt. Halla can undergo review for placement in the Korea National Parks Authority, in Seoul.
Also, the central government will foot the entire 6.5 billion won budget, which is currently paid by both the national (3 billion won) and provincial (3.5 billion won) governments per annum.
According to the paper “The Reason Why Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Should Manage Halla National Park,” (provided to The Weekly by Mt. Halla National Park Office) Jeju’s argument is that “Mt. Halla and Jeju cannot be separated,” and that it reflects the island’s “spirit.”
The report continues that the transfer of control would cause “administrative chaos and inconvenience.”
The province’s stance is that within Mt. Halla National Park, there are other areas connected to its UNESCO designations, which Jeju manages, and “overall management of the UNESCO conservation is needed.” This may cause conflict and concerns when it comes to preservation and administration.
Considering that it was Jeju’s preservation of the area which garnered these awards, “the management system of the status quo should be kept.”
There will be many upcoming hearings and debates concerning who will manage Mt. Halla, but “It might take a long time,” before the two govern'ments come to a decision, said Director Kang Sung Bo of the Mt. Halla National Park Office. “It might take longer than a year.”
Interpretation, translation and additional reporting by Erin Ahnam Kim
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