Four-River Restoration Project Gets Underway

Will likely create tens of thousands of new jobs; boost regional economies

The government is now making a strong push for the restoration project of the nation's four major rivers ― the Han in Seoul, the Geum in the Chungcheong and North Jeolla regions, the Yeongsan in South Jeolla Province and the Nakdong in the Gyeongsang region. Through the project, the government plans to create tens of thousands of new jobs, boost regional economic activities and attract more businesses and tourism.
The ambitious project is also expected to greatly contribute to cleaning up the rivers that have been neglected until now, a senior official of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) said. "As a consequence, our territory will be refurbished and local economies will be boosted," he said, adding that the rivers have been vulnerable to natural disasters and nearby areas have not been utilized sufficiently. "In a nutshell, their functions have yet to be maximized. Moreover, the average cost for their restoration after disasters was 4.2 trillion won, whereas the investment in prevention was one trillion won for the past five years," he said. The Lee Myung-bak administration's ambitious four-river revitalization project, however, has attracted criticism, particularly from some local municipalities and environmental groups. Critics say that the river redevelopment project could set the stage for reintroducing the "Grand Canal" project, which was shelved earlier this year because of public opposition.
Meanwhile, the MLTM has dismissed the charges and said that the four-river project is an entirely separate government initiative. The project, which is expected to cost 14 trillion won ($10.7 billion) over the next four years, aims to invigorate local economies and help prevent natural disasters by upgrading levees and reservoirs and dredging riverbeds, the official said. It aims to prevent floods and droughts and rehabilitate the environment and the quality of river water in particular, said the official. According to a government estimate, the entire project is expected to create 190,000 new jobs nationwide and lead to increased economic activity worth 23 trillion won. "The four-river redevelopment project is a necessary project for the country, which will facilitate our economic recovery effort and lead to more balanced regional development," he said, adding that the project will be Korea's version of the United States' post-Great Depression New Deal and will protect and restore the environment. In Andong, the government will invest 38.6 billion won to redevelop the Nakdong River region. The project will also include constructing new walkways and bicycle trails alongside the river. In Naju, 36.4 billion won will go toward strengthening rainwater reservoirs to prevent floods, along with additional initiatives to protect the river's indigenous ecosystem. nw

Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Chung Jong-hwan and other celebrities unveil the signboard of the tentatively named Four River Restoration Planning Corps.