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“It’s very inconvenient to have to pay to use nature.” “More than 150,000 won. Whether three or four people come, the rent is expensive.” “Nowadays, all oceans, rivers, and lakes are public waters. Streams are also public waters. Public waters belong to everyone. Using public waters as if they were private waters is illegal and unauthorized use.” The valleys and streams in the metropolitan area, which had been illegal for decades and hardly eradicated, have changed dramatically over the past year. In the 1.5 km section of Suraksan Valley in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, where unlicensed structures disappeared, a white sand beach has been created, and Jangheung Valley in Yangju-si, where businesses used to block the valley with cement and fill it with flat ground to the point where you couldn’t see the water, has regained its natural form. With 97% of illegal structures removed from 187 streams and valleys across Gyeonggi-do, the valleys have begun to regain their original appearance after decades, becoming places where anyone can soak their feet and rest. Conflicts and coexistence surrounding the valley However, the process of the valley returning to the citizens was not smooth. As the summer vacation season approached, illegal occupations such as blocking the valley's water and installing shade shelters began to surface again, and the Baekun Valley in Pocheon was faced with a second demolition due to continuous complaints. The area within the river zone was demolished due to the merchants' voluntary demolition, but the facilities remaining in the mountain area still had different positions. After much pain, public tables were laid in the valley that was cleaned up, and the merchants opened their parking lots and restrooms for the citizens. MBC Documentary Prime covered the vivid scene of the growing pains of our valley that returned to the citizens after 40-50 years. #Lee Jae-myung #Valley #Gyeonggi-do