어청도 해상풍력 1.02GW, 주민 지지로 지역 수용성 확보! 어떻게 가능했을까?

Gunsan City’s flagship offshore wind project near Oecheongdo cleared a major hurdle after the government designated the area as an offshore wind cluster on the 16th, paving the way for the project to move into a new phase. Local residents voiced clear support, signaling community acceptance.

Gunsan City said the government on the 16th designated the project area for a 1.02 GW offshore wind farm near Oecheongdo as an offshore wind cluster. The cluster designation is a policy tool that assesses project efficiency, site suitability and local support; the approval strengthens the project’s institutional foundation.

Following the designation, residents hung welcome banners throughout the village. The banners read, \”The fruit of Oecheongdo’s long wait,\” \”A new voyage toward the future begins,\” and \”Long-held winds have become a new path.\” Those messages reflect voluntary local backing and indicate that community acceptance — a key factor for advancing the offshore wind project — has reached a meaningful level.

Gunsan City has advanced the project in stages since 2022. From the outset, officials held community briefings, meetings with fishing cooperatives and expert forums to engage residents. City officials say that outreach helped build consensus and secure momentum for the project.

However, the designation is conditional on consultations with the military, so follow-up procedures remain. Gunsan City plans to consult with the Navy, the Air Force and the Agency for Defense Development to refine installation zones to minimize impacts on military operations, and to finalize the project plan by the end of the year.

Oecheongdo Lee Sang-cheol, head of the fishing cooperative, said, \”Residents warmly welcome the long-awaited cluster designation. Given our history of coexisting with the military for national security, we hope the related consultations proceed smoothly. We expect this project, which affects residents’ livelihoods and the island’s future, to move forward without setbacks.\”

Gunsan City plans to use the cluster designation to build a community-centered renewable energy model and to accelerate efforts to develop offshore wind as a future growth engine.