The party and government will strengthen crackdowns and punishment on illegal structures installed in rivers and valleys.
The Democratic Party of Korea and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on the 20th that they held a party-government consultative meeting at the National Assembly and discussed plans to maintain rivers and valleys.
Han Jeong-ae, the Democratic Party policy committee chair, met with reporters and said, "For acts that illegally take private profits through illegal structures, we are considering steps such as overhauling laws to strengthen the penalty surcharge system," and added, "For compulsory performance charges as well, they are imposed once a year, and if payments are made several times, we think it is necessary to prepare a legal basis for adding to them, so we are preparing it."
She added, "To prevent repeated violations, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) will consult with other ministries on methods such as institutional improvements to manage valleys, infrastructure installation, and monitoring systems from a preventive standpoint."
Kwon Chil-seung, chair of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee, said, "We have encouraged and recommended voluntary removal of illegal structures, but if they do not comply at all—especially in cases where they have occupied the area for a long time and conducted business—the state can file a claim for the return of unjust enrichment," adding, "There was an opinion that such means should also be available, and we consider it a very effective measure."
Yoon Ho-jung, the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), also said, "So far, a total of 72,658 illegal facilities in rivers and valleys have been identified," and noted, "Under a zero-tolerance principle, we are strictly clearing them and are also carrying out voluntary clearance during a guidance period."