Forest Cleared and Contaminated Soil Dumped: Investigation Stalled for Years Despite Police Report

A landowner is suffering from damages after police suspended an investigation into a complaint regarding the destruction of forest land and illegal waste dumping, citing the suspect's disappearance.
The Busan Gijang Police Station stated on Tuesday (June 23) that they are investigating a complaint filed around December 2023, which alleged that an unidentified individual had been cutting down trees and dumping soil suspected to be contaminated on a roughly 9,900-square-meter (about 3,000-pyeong) plot of forest land in Gijang-gun for several years.
The owner of the forest land reported the case to the police, providing evidence that the activity was carried out by a heavy equipment operator.
However, the police have suspended the investigation, stating that the suspect's whereabouts are unknown.
It is reported that the landowner has been left to bear the full extent of the damage in the meantime.
A police official said, "The investigation was suspended because the whereabouts of one of the suspects, who was being investigated following the questioning of another, could not be confirmed," adding, "We will form a dedicated investigation team to look into the illegal activities, including waste dumping and forest destruction."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.