President says canals essential for `effective` use of seas

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak Wednesday stressed the
importance of building waterways, saying the country is not effectively using the
seas that surround the Korean Peninsula.
"We cannot grow if what needs to be opened up remains blocked. Our failure to
effectively utilize rivers and the seas when the country is surrounded by them on
three sides is a serious mistake," the president said in a ceremony marking the
start of construction on a canal that will connect Seoul's Han River to the
western Yellow Sea.
The remarks could reignite accusations that Lee has not given up on his
controversial plan to build a canal to connect the capital with the southern port
city of Busan.
Lee was forced to give up the canal project due to strong public opposition,
though he has continued to pursue a 50-trillion won project to restore the
country's four major rivers.
The river restoration project, part of the so-called Green New Deal, has prompted
suspicions that the government is laying the groundwork for the massive canal as
the now-defunct project initially sought to use the four rivers.
Lee did not address the renewed suspicions in his speech Wednesday, but said the
river restoration project will help preserve the environment while creating jobs
that will get the country through the global economic crisis.
"The entire world highly evaluates Korea's river restoration project. Through our
river restoration project, we will provide answers to climate change that will be
an answer for all of mankind as well, while improving the quality of our water
and securing measures to counter floods or droughts," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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