By Lee Hyo-sik
The residents of Yeonpyeong Island, who were forced to flee their homes following North Korea’s artillery attack last week, remain in a deadlock with the government over compensation amounts for the loss of their properties and livelihoods.
The residents want the state to provide all the necessary support for them to resettle on the mainland, demanding they be given housing and a means of living on a permanent basis.
But the government is only willing to subsidize the recovery of the destroyed houses on the devastated island and the residents’ medical costs, and pay them compensation in a lump sum.
Out of a total 1,361 registered residents, most were evacuated to Incheon and other inland areas while dozens of people remain on the island. Many of the evacuees have been staying at 24-hour-saunas or temporary shelters, which they claim to be shoddy.
Choi Seong-il, the chairman of an ad-hoc Yeonpyeong Island emergency residents’ committee, says most residents have decided not to return to the island in fear of another deadly attack, urging the government to fully help them resettle on the mainland and make a living in a new community.
``Our lives were threatened in the past when military patrol boats from the two Koreas clashed near the island. The North’s attack this time has made it impossible for us to live there. Even though our parents lived and we were born on Yeonpyeong Island, we cannot live there anymore,’’ he said.
One Yeonpyeong resident who fled to Incheon last week also said most people are reluctant to go back in fear of further military conflict with the communist state.
``The island has become a place of horror, following the North’s attack last week. I don’t think I can persuade myself to go back. Even if I do, I have no place to live there because my home was destroyed by the bombing,’’ he said.
Another resident said she wants to resettle in a safer place and start a new life. ``To enable us to do so, the government should come up with a comprehensive package of measures to support our relocation. Rather than give us some housing subsidy and one-time monetary compensation, we want the government to fully support our livelihoods on a constant basis,’’ she said.
Yawning gap
However, the central government and Incheon City have been expressing difficulties agreeing to what Yeonpyeong residents are demanding, saying there is no legal basis for such support. They have been pledging to finance the ongoing restoration works on the island, provide residents with living subsidies and find them temporary housing.
Minister of Public Administration and Security Maeng Hyung-kyu told lawmakers Monday that the government will secure studio apartments and other types of housing in Songdo, Incheon.
``We will move Yeonpyeong residents staying in public saunas to Songdo. If the island is declared as a disaster zone, those whose houses are fully destroyed will receive 9 million won and ones with partial damage will be given 4.5 million won. But the government will pay for all the costs required to rebuild them,’’ Mang said.
The ministry said Friday that it will pay for all the expenses needed to refurbish houses destroyed due to the shelling that killed two civilians and two marines last Tuesday. According to the ministry, the attack completely destroyed 29 houses and damaged 80 others.
The government also announced a plan to provide 1 billion won in emergency relief funds to help residents restore their livelihoods. They will be given tax breaks when purchasing homes, cars, boats and other items to replace those destroyed.
Incheon City plans to offer up to 1 million won in subsidies per person and secure unsold public housing units of the Land & Housing Corp. in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, for residents. Ongjin County will also provide each evacuee with 30,000 won a day for meals and accommodation expenses.
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