Conflicts arise over electic car charging stations

[Anchor]

Recently, there have been a series of electric vehicle fires in underground parking lots at apartments, deepening conflicts among residents over electric vehicle charging facilities.

There are increasing calls to move the charging facilities from underground to above ground, but it is realistically difficult, leading to the controversy.

Reporter Jo Jeong-a has the story.

[Report]

Firefighters rush to extinguish a fire that broke out in an electric vehicle while it was being charged.

The vehicle was completely burned, but fortunately, the charging facility was outdoors, preventing greater damage.

The proposal is to move the charging facilities from underground to above ground.

This apartment complex attempted to add charging facilities in the underground parking lot earlier this year.

However, due to strong opposition from some residents, they have not been able to proceed.

[Min Byeong-hwan/Apartment Resident/Opposed to Underground Charging Facilities: "In the event of a fire, fire trucks cannot enter (the underground), making it difficult to extinguish the fire...."]

The residents' representative council maintains that underground installation is unavoidable.

They argue that there is no suitable space above ground and that changing the installation contract is also difficult.

After extreme conflicts, both the head of the management office and the residents' representative have resigned from their positions.

[Residents' Representative Council Official/Voice Altered: "(Unable to endure it) Five staff members have resigned. And the management office head said it was so difficult that he was almost suffering from angina because of these issues...."]

In an apartment in Daejeon, vote among residents is underway regarding the relocation of charging facilities to above ground.

Electric vehicle owners are also dissatisfied, being treated as potential offenders.

[Electric Vehicle Owner/Voice Altered: "(Above ground) is very inconvenient. When it rains, I get soaked, and when it snows, I get hit by the snow, and the car freezes, making it hard to charge."]

Over the past four years, complaints related to electric vehicles have increased more than eightfold, and conflicts are surging, but related bills have been pending in the National Assembly for over two years.

This is KBS News, Jo Jeong-a.