Goh Sui Noi, Straits Times 24 Jun 09;
TO SOLVE a growing water shortage problem and control floods, South Korea is embarking on an ambitious project to clean up and turn four major rivers into reservoirs.
A controversial project opposed by environmentalists, it is part of a US$38.1 billion (S$55.5 billion) Green New Deal stimulus package to create nearly a million jobs and boost a slumping economy through green initiatives.
The restoration of the four rivers - Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan - is expected to cost at least US$13.5 billion and create jobs and stimulate the economies of the regions involved.
'In South Korea, most of the (economic activity) is concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area,' South Korean Vice-Minister of Environment Lee Byung Wook told The Straits Times on Monday on the sidelines of the 7th Minister's Forum on Infrastructure Development in the Asia-Pacific Region.
He added that most of the people living near the rivers are 'very keen'.
However, environmentalists oppose the project because they worry that the ecosystems of the rivers and surrounding areas will be damaged.
Also, they contend that damming the rivers will lead to a deterioration rather than improvement in the quality of the water, as it creates stagnant lakes prone to sedimentation and pollution.
The project, due to be completed in 2012, involves large-scale dredging of river bottoms and construction of small dams and submerged weirs to create catch basins and reservoirs that can store up to 1.3 billion cubic m of fresh water.
Dr Lee explained that new technology would be used to deal with sedimentation, and channels would be created for fish to swim freely in and out of the catchment areas. The project also involves cleaning up nearby farmland and preventing the flow of pesticides and other effluents into the rivers.
Studies of the ecosystems along the rivers have been carried out and areas deemed to be valuable will be preserved. In affected areas, water fauna will be moved to a holding area and put back after dredging or damming work is done.
In response to concerns over damage to the ecosystems of the regions involved if there is overdevelopment, the plans for recreational sites have been scaled down, Dr Lee said. Work on the project will begin in October.
Besides the revitalisation of the four rivers, other Green New Deal projects include recycling, carbon emission reduction, energy conservation and the maintenance of forest resources.
The four-year plan, unveiled in January, is part of the green growth strategy of the administration of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.
The long-term 'Low Carbon, Green Growth' strategy - dubbed a national vision for the next 60 years - seeks to achieve sustainable economic growth that maintains environmental integrity.
Its three guiding principles are achieving growth through minimal use of energy and resources; minimising environmental pressure, including keeping carbon emissions low; and developing green technologies as drivers of economic growth.
South Korea is already looking to export its expertise in waste treatment and water supply to Asia, the Middle East and Africa, said Dr Lee.
Asia's third-largest economy spends 5 per cent of its gross domestic product on research and development, and the government is pumping huge sums into the research and development of green technology.
