No Compensation for Traffic Noise
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Noise is a natural consequence of the increasing amount of traffic stemming from economic development ― and the government shouldn't take full responsibility for it, a court ruled Sunday.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled against 590 residents of an apartment surrounded by large roads and a railway in Dongjak District in Seoul. They have sought 300 million won in compensation from Seoul City and KORAIL over noise from the facilities to build soundproof systems.
The apartment was built in 2000 next to Hangang railway, built in 1900, and Olympic Road, built in 1986. The residents complained they couldn't open their windows in summer as the noise marked 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night. They also claimed that the government and the railway haven't made efforts to abate the noise.
The court, however, said that the increase in noise is a natural result of economic development, which leads to more traffic. ``It is true that the noise is beyond government control. But everybody should share the responsibility for such inconvenience,'' Judge Lim Chae-woong, said.
``There are many other residential districts confronting noise and we cannot ask the government to install soundproof systems everywhere'' he added.