Pungcheon-ri is home to a pine nut forest more than a century old. The forest is not only the basis of local livelihoods through pine nut harvesting but also habitat for endangered wildlife such as the goral.
Residents warn that if the pumped-storage plant is built, large sections of the forest will be destroyed and construction noise, vibration, and dust will severely affect everyday life and health. They point out that even before full construction, 2,256 pine trees were already felled during relocation road works.
For villagers, the pine forest is not scenery. It is life itself. Their culture of pine nut gathering and the bonds of the community were formed around these trees. This report highlights that the struggle is not a simple NIMBY reaction but a fight to protect ecology, livelihood, and community.
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