The Saemangeum Permanent Seawater Distribution Headquarters released a statement on the 16th demanding an official position on the operation of the 9th Saemangeum Committee and the re-establishment of the Saemangeum basic plan ahead of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Jeonbuk as the Chairman of the Saemangeum Committee.

The headquarters argued that Prime Minister Kim, as the chairman overseeing the Saemangeum project, should provide a responsible explanation for the current turmoil and confusion in Saemangeum, especially in light of his upcoming visit to Jeonju on the 19th for the K-National Governance Explanation Meeting.

They stated that despite receiving signatures from 26,000 Jeonbuk residents requesting participation as private members in the process of re-establishing the Saemangeum basic plan, their requests were rejected by the Saemangeum Development Agency, the Ministry of Environment, and the Prime Minister's Office, and even their request for a meeting with the chairman was denied.

In particular, following the expiration of the term of the 8th Saemangeum Committee in July 2025, the 9th committee was also criticized for not disclosing the list of private members and for being in a state of inactivity without a single meeting being held. The headquarters added that despite their continuous demands for a complete overhaul of the committee's composition and ensuring local resident participation, none of their demands have been met.

Regarding the re-establishment of the Saemangeum basic plan, issues were raised. The headquarters pointed out that despite the need for a shift in the plan towards seawater distribution following the failure of freshwater conversion, the plan is being pursued without the involvement of environmental organizations, fishermen, and local civic communities. They highlighted that even after the cancellation of a public hearing planned by the Saemangeum Development Agency in December last year due to issues raised during the presidential national report process, the plan continues to be revised without transparency.

Furthermore, they criticized the neglect of residents' lives, such as concerns over farmer damages due to offshore wind power transmission line construction, the livelihood crisis faced by fishermen in Muneodo Island following the opening of the new Saemangeum port, the forced sale of waterfront cities vulnerable to climate change, and the continued enforcement policy after the cancellation of the new Saemangeum airport.

In the statement, the headquarters urged for a complete overhaul of the Saemangeum Committee by the new government, which claims to represent a country owned by the people. They called for ensuring the participation of civic organizations and local residents and demanded a clear stance from the chairman on this matter. Additionally, they once again requested an open meeting between Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and representatives from the local civic, religious, and fishing communities in Jeonbuk.