The Land Owners and Residents Solidarity for Public Housing Development was a private housing association formed to help residents in the areas subject to the government's expropriation receive rightful and agreeable amount of compensation. The Solidarity urged the government proper compensation based on the Article 23 of the Constitution that states property rights, and filed petitions to the Constitutional Court of Korea based on the Article 23 of the Land Compensation Law. December 12, 2021, the Solidarity organized a meeting with 50 committee members to wrap up the fruits of the last year and bring up action plans this year. Jongwon Baek, Publisher and Editor of monthly <PowerKorea> sat down with four key figures of the Solidarity and learned about their fruits and plans. They are: Solidarity President Chaegwan Im, Vice Presidents Jeongik Lee and Beongchan Lee, and Mirae PM Board of Director Meongae Kim. 

Baek: First of all, how would you like to wrap things up of last year? 

Im: Back 3 years ago and onwards, the government didn't give a damn about our voice. With the corruption of the LH (Korea Land and Housing Corporation) that heated up the media over a month, the government now seems to be paying attention to our voice. I think it will be a meaningful move.

J. Lee: I personally think the compensation the affected residents received last year was not that fruitful. However, we made our voice heard. 

B. Lee: The Solidarity engaged in a lot of meetings, campaigns and demonstrations last year and we drew substantial results. It is important to bear in mind that the Solidarity works for residents in the affected area and we are proud of it. 

Kim: Mirae PM is the official legal advisor of the Solidarity and I and my team have a great sense of duty. Talking about fruits, residents can now receive not only the development profit but also a house of the apartment built in the area or other. I think that is a great change. 

Baek: Now, tell me more about your actions last year.

Im: The key issue of the conflict was that the residents being forced to move out while the government or the developers sweep the most development profits which is totally unfair. We met politicians including Democratic Party lawmaker Sungho Jung and delivered our rightful arguments and what we want and received positive response. 

Baek: I heard that residents in the Wangsook Zone 1 appealed their voice strongly with four days of fasting?

J. Lee: The existing laws and regulations have been on the developer's side for over 40 years during which many residents were unfairly treated and poorly compensated. Therefore, revision of the related laws and regulations are urgent. 

Baek: So you didn't see substantial results?

Im: Not much. Like the Daejangdong scandal, the same practices occur again and again. Both Lees here today showed their strong complaints by shaving their heads and fasting to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. 

B. Lee: Farmers who were forced to sell their farming lands were nowhere to go with the mere compensations. In other words, they must be provided compensations that should suffice their living. As a creative solution, the Solidarity is working on smart farms as a means of compensation. 

Baek: What were the things much to be desired?

Kim: As the land compensation is a hot issue on the media, service providers without professional knowledge and experience in the field are springing up like mushrooms after rain. These unprofessional service providers can make things more complicated and can also lead to nothing. Residents must note that some service providers swindled out of the compensation that must go to the residents which is really bad.

J. Lee: I know what Kim just said very well and that's why the Solidarity is working under legal advice of Mirae PM.

Kim: Land compensation is a business area that requires high level of knowledge and experience in the field. It is very important that service providers like us must bear in mind at all time that we work for the residents in the affected area but not for our own benefits. 

B. Lee: There also must be improvement in appraisals. Some appraisals companies seem to work for their sides. What I'm saying is that appraisals must be carried out objectively without biased pre-thoughts and practices. 

J. Lee: I totally agree with B. Lee: 15 appraisers engaged in the Wangsook Zone 1 but the appraisers of developer's side never picked up a phone or met us. I strongly feel the need of improvement in legal basis on this. 

Im: Before we work with Mirae PM, the service providers took 7 out of 10 compensation and the only 3 went to the residents. After we signed a MOU with Mirae PM, 100% compensation has gone to the residents and Mirae PM received service charge only.

Baek: Lastly, what are your plans for 2020?

Im: We will be working on three goals: revision of the related laws and regulations, 100% exemption of transfer tax, and government's resettlement plan of the affected residents. 

[Actions in 2021]
December: protest at offices of People Party and Democratic Party
November: protest for Wangsook Zone 2
October: Joonpyo Hong pays a visit to Solidarity office
September: protest against Daejangdong gate
July: protest at Hanam City Hall
June: meeting with lawmaker Kyungtae Jang
May: protest at LH headquarters
March: protest against LH speculation <PowerKorea>

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백종원 기자  bridgekorea@naver.com