THE KUKMIN DAILY

The environmental policies of the Moon Jae-in government are following in the wrong footsteps of previous governments, as shown by a lack of public consultation, buck passing among governmental agencies, and toleration of longstanding anti-environment practices.

The Conference of Religions on the Environment (Beop Il, standing representative), a solidarity network of five religions including Protestant Christianity, held its “2018 Conference of Religions on the Environment: Workshop and Media Briefing” (photo) on January 15 at the Christian Institute for the Study of Justice and Development in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. There it announced the position of religious persons on the government’s environmental policies during the past eight months. The member organizations of the Conference are: Korea Christian Environmental Movement Solidarity for Integrity of Creation (KCEMS, a Protestant movement), Buddhist Environment Solidarity, Won-Buddhist Environment Solidarity, Chondogyo Hanul Solidarity, and Catholic Solidarity for Creation Integrity.

At the press briefing, the Conference of Religions on the Environment issued a New Year’s statement titled “Ecological justice and respect for life are common sense. Put aside human greed, for the sake of the community of life.” The group urged the new government to clean up longstanding evils from the past, and to adopt responsible measures related to the “4 Rivers Project,” the Osaek cable car in Mt. Seorak, the THAAD (terminal high altitude area defense) base in Seongju, denuclearization, and other issues.

The five organizations emphasized the need for the government to consult with citizens on environmental policies. Yang Jae-seong, co-representative of KCEMS, said, “Under the Roh Moo-hyun government, relations between the Environment Ministry and citizens’ organizations was harmonious, with almost no discord…That governance collapsed during the past nine years, (but) we hope the present government will communicate sufficiently with citizens and adopt policies that reflect the life paradigm.” Rep. Yang Gi-seok of Catholic Solidarity for Creation Integrity called for the government’s sustained protection of Mt. Seorak, which is both a national park and a designated natural monument. Buddhist Environment Solidarity called for the opening of all weirs in the four big rivers, as part of the process of returning them to natural form.

Article and photo by reporter Yang Minkyeong (grieg@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)


Original Article in Korean:
“文정부 환경정책, 공론화 부족·부처 간 떠넘기기 여전”: 5대 종교 연대 ‘종교환경회의’ 회견