3.1.3. Differing perceptions of EIA between public, developers, and
environmental agencies
Developers viewed EIA as an additional administrative procedure
required to start their projects. Local residents perceived EIA as a way
to resolve issues such as compensation, while environmental groups
argued that the system was only a perfunctory mechanism that had
not resulted in actual changes to development projects. In truth, EIA
and PERS in Korea had not brought about environmentally sustainable
development by predicting and assessing the environmental effects
of plans, programs, and projects. Instead, they had been criticized
for providing excuses for adverse environmental consequences and
allowing developers to be more focused on convenience rather than
conservation of the environment.