S. Korea set to begin work on 4-river project

SEOUL, Nov. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will start a massive project this week to
refurbish the basin areas of the nation's four major rivers as it is deemed not
to affect the environment negatively, officials said Sunday.
The controversial project calls for the government to spend 22.2 trillion won
(US$19 billion) by 2012 to restore the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers in
order to prevent floods and cope with water shortages.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said construction of 15
dammed pools on the rivers will kick off Tuesday, heralding the full-fledged
start of the restoration project. The project estimated at 1.46 trillion won is
to be completed in 2011.
"Ground will be broken for the four-river project this week as the government has
wrapped up its study on its environmental impact," a ministry official said.
Work to dredge river bottoms and carry out other projects is scheduled to begin
next week, he added.
The Ministry of Environment, meanwhile, said it has determined the restoration
project will not have a negative impact on the environment.
"The water quality of the four rivers is expected to improve in 2012, when the
project is finished," the ministry said. "The project is also unlikely to cause
problems in the supply of drinking water."
The four-river restoration project is a replacement for President Lee Myung-bak's
plan to build a network of cross-country waterways for a "grand canal," which was
scrapped due to immense criticism from environmentalists and opposition parties.
Critics charge the river restoration project is a run-up to Lee's canal project,
one of his main campaign pledges in the 2007 presidential election.
While supporters say the restoration project will help prevent floods, which cost
the nation an average of 2.7 trillion won per year in damages and 4.3 trillion
won in repairs, opponents claim it is not economically viable and will wreak
havoc on the environment.
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