Incheon Offshore Wind Fishermen, Island Residents Launch Civic Coalition

Original Korean article: Incheon Today

Fishing industry representatives, island residents, and civic organizations in Incheon launched the "Incheon Offshore Wind Coexistence and Mutual Prosperity Civic Steering Committee" on the 20th, urging the government and Incheon city to guarantee the rights of fishermen and the livelihood and mobility rights of island residents.

The steering committee held a launch ceremony and seminar on the afternoon of that day at the education room on the first floor of Incheon YWCA, and issued a statement saying, "We urge a 'fair energy transition' that guarantees the rights of fishermen and the livelihood and mobility rights of island residents."

The committee prioritized the requirement that the basic passenger ferry routes and emergency safety routes for residents of the West Sea Five Islands must not be compromised under any circumstances. It also emphasized the need to halt unilateral offshore wind power project implementation and establish a standing public-private consultative body involving operating fishermen, island residents, experts, civil society, and relevant agencies.

Additionally, the committee called for establishing a "fair coexistence model" leading to damage compensation and occupational transition measures, strengthened competitiveness in the fishing industry, and increased fishermen's income, as well as establishing responsible development principles including thorough environmental impact review and continuous observation of marine ecosystems and fishery resources.

The steering committee stated, "Incheon's sea is a common asset that fishermen and citizens use together and must pass on to future generations. We are not opposed to development itself. We choose dialogue over conflict, cooperation over confrontation, and coexistence and mutual prosperity over unilateral development."

Incheon Offshore Wind at 3.5GW Maximum; Developer Proliferation Intensifies Conflict

In the seminar that followed, Cho Hyun-geun, secretary of the steering committee, presented "Current Status and Implementation Tasks of Incheon Offshore Wind," noting that the government's first renewable energy basic plan assigned an offshore wind generation capacity target of 3.5GW for Incheon by 2035. The available power grid connection capacity through that time is at this level.

He noted that conflicts have been significant, with 112 related civil complaints filed over the past eight years (the 7th and 8th mayoral terms), and that developer proliferation has intensified conflict, with measurement device permits being resold in "ticket trading," with one measurement device transaction reaching 4 billion won. He then stated that fishing industry groups and West Sea Five Islands residents have confirmed willingness to accept some areas through consultation, but that areas corresponding to passenger ferry routes are absolutely unacceptable areas.

"Rare Complex Waters Globally; Long-term Observation Needed"

Woo Seung-beom, professor of marine science at Inha University and director of Inha University's Gyeonggi-Incheon Sea Grant Center, emphasized the necessity of long-term marine observation due to offshore wind development in his presentation on "Characteristics of Incheon Waters and Marine and Fisheries Monitoring Methods."

He stated, "Unlike the open ocean with average depths of 3,000 to 4,000 meters, the waters off Incheon are very shallow and are affected by tides, wind, and freshwater from the Han and Imjin rivers—a rare type of waters globally. Since the characteristics of the waters change on a 4-5 year cycle, such as the 'Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass' phenomenon where cold water masses formed in winter persist until summer, the characteristics cannot be determined by a single year of environmental impact assessment, and long-term observation is necessary."

He continued, "Environmental impact assessments by offshore wind project developers typically last only 1-2 years, and there is no legal observation obligation after project commencement, creating gaps in substantial portions of Incheon waters. He proposed establishing an integrated monitoring system involving project developers, local residents and fishermen, and research institutions.

Environmental Groups: "Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Needed; 'Avoidance Principle' Must Apply"

In a panel discussion, Park Ju-hee, executive director of Incheon Green Union, pointed out that "the timing, frequency, and scope of flora and fauna surveys in the environmental impact assessment for Incheon Offshore Wind Units 1 and 2 promoted by Ørsted were insufficient." She noted that the waters off Incheon are a habitat and migration route for internationally endangered bird species such as spoon-billed sandpipers, and that risks of bird migration disruption and collision must be carefully reviewed.

She stated, "Multiple offshore wind projects are being pursued individually near Gulup Island and in the Yongyu, Muui, and Jawol waters, making it impossible to assess the cumulative impact on the entire waters. The 'avoidance' principle, which excludes ecologically sensitive areas from siting, must be applied first, and an independent verification system must be established."

She added, "Since the sea and wind are public resources, a portion of profits should be set aside as a fund and used to address the climate crisis."

Meanwhile, the steering committee's statement issued at today's launch includes participation from the Incheon Gillnet Association, West Sea Ongjin Fishing Cooperative, Incheon Fisheries Cooperative Sorae Fishing Village Branch, Deokjeok Jawol Fishing Village Cooperative Council, Yeonghung Shipowner Fishing Village Cooperative, Five West Sea Islands Future Coexistence Residents Alliance, Daeijakbada Marine Ecology Village Operating Committee, West Sea Five Islands Fishermen's Federation, West Sea Five Islands Peace Movement Headquarters, Incheon Sea Offshore Wind Power Generation Civic Countermeasures Committee, and Transition Society Civic Action (Health and Sharing, Good Life Production Social Cooperative, Incheon Urban Agriculture Network, Incheon Women's Association, Incheon Bicycle City Building Movement Headquarters, Incheon Peace and Welfare Alliance, Disability Independence Declaration, Transition Village Namdong, and Transition Village Yeonsu).

The steering committee plans to continue with policy proposals, social dialogue, and monitoring and cooperation activities starting with today's launch.

KWI developer profile — Orsted

2 projects in Korea totalling 1,395 MW. Compiled from the KWI database. Not part of the source article.

Incheon 2 Offshore Wind — this article

Incheon 1 Offshore Wind

Project data: KWI database — Electricity Business Licence records, EIA filings (ME2025C009, ME2025C010), Electricity Regulatory Commission minutes, and pre-EBL permit filings.