By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

A university is waging a campaign to relocate power transmission towers near its mountainous campus, saying the towers are eyesores and a health hazard.

The drive started after KEPCO allegedly changed construction of the towers from a nearby mountain tract under pressure from one of President Lee Myung-bak's close friends, to the mountain range near Chongshin University in Yangji, Gyeonggi Province.

The Christian school claims that the school became the victim when Sejoong Namo Tour Chairman Chun Shin-il, President Lee's 40-year friend, allegedly lobbied KEPCO in order to protect his real estate.

Lawmakers have launched an investigation at the request of the university.

In 1997, KEPCO decided to construct 155 765-kilovolt transmission towers along an 80-kilometer route between Shinan and Shingapyeong stations to provide more electricity to the metropolitan area. However, some of the land where high voltage electricity passes belongs to Chun and he filed for a change to the plans to relocate the installment to another part of his property.

In 2007, the state-controlled utility accepted the request and changed the location of several towers, one of which is located in a mountain ridge near the university campus.

Rev. Baek Woon-hyung has started a hunger strike to protest the relocation. ``We have always learned that Christianity is about acceptance, tolerance and forgiving. But we cannot compromise the health of young students,'' he said. Protestant Christians and Presbyterian pastors joined the drive to relocate the towers.

Environmentalists claim the electromagnetic wave from the structures could lead to serious diseases, including cancer. Activist Kim Byeong-bin said they could cause birth defects in children. He also cited a medical research report, which concluded that cancers including leukemia prevailed more often among mice exposed to electromagnetic waves.

Rep. Woo Che-chang of the main opposition Democratic Party and his colleagues visited the spot last month.

A spokesman for Chun said, ``It is natural for a person to demand relocation or removal if a project damages his or her property rights. Chun has also asked KEPCO to minimize the negative impact of the relocation on students and villagers nearby.''

KEPCO spokesman Kim Do-hwa also dismissed the allegations, arguing that there is no problem with the relocation as it has been done within Chun's property.

``The law allows relocation of such an installment once it is done on the same man's property." He said the relocation was carried out because there is a rock museum, a temple and other facilities in the vicinity of the site. In addition, the disputed area is also earmarked as a possible redevelopment zone. He ruled out any political pressure.

KEPCO issued a Seoul National University report that says the transmission towers have no link to leukemia or other cancers in the area.

Kim said KEPCO has been in talks with the school for over a year. ``We have met them 60 times, but were unable to make a compromise."

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr