YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) President Lee reaffirms scrapping of controversial 'canal project'

By Byun Duk-kun, Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak promised Monday not to pursue his politically divisive plan to build a network of cross-country waterways, triggering a renewed debate among his supporters and critics.

The multi-billion-won project was one of Lee's main campaign pledges in the 2007 presidential election, which he won by the largest margin of votes in recent history. The project, dubbed the Pan-Korea Grand Waterway, would comprise 17 routes across the country and stretch 3,100 kilometers.

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The president was forced to withdraw the project due to strong public opposition amid fears the canal, which would connect Seoul to the southern port city of Busan, is not economically viable and would wreak havoc on the environment.

   The controversy was renewed when the government announced a 14-trillion-won (US$100 billion) project to refurbish the basin areas of South Korea's four major rivers, which critics charge is a prelude to the waterway campaign. The Lee government argues the two plans have no relation to each other.

   "Many have questioned whether the Four River Restoration Project was not in reality a disguise for the grand canal project," the president said in his biweekly radio address to the nation, responding to messages posted on the Web site of the presidential office.

   "Every time I read these messages, I felt heavy in my heart. This was because it made me realize how tall the wall of public distrust toward the government was," Lee said.

   The president said he still believes the canal would be a benefit to the country.

   "And yet, I have said the government will not launch the grand canal project unless there was a public consensus because this issue could become politicized and lead to national division," the president said.

   "The government will not pursue such a project during my presidential term," he added.

   The president said restoring the country's major rivers would help prevent floods, which cost the nation an average 2.7 trillion won per year in damages and 4.3 trillion won in repair costs.

   "With the government budget that has been spent on the rivers for the past three years, we can bring the rivers back to life for good," Lee said.

   Civic groups were split in their reactions to Lee's newest announcement.

   While conservative groups, generally supportive of Lee's market- and growth-oriented plans, expressed disappointment over Lee's decision to give up one of his key policies, progressive environmentalists demanded the president also scrap his push to refurbish the four major rivers.

   "It is a relief that the president has decided to give up the plan that would without a doubt ruin the harmony of nature, but it (his announcement) also sounds like a renewed resolution to refurbish the four rivers," the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement said in a statement. "The president should reexamine his plan from the beginning."

   The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice maintained that the four river plan is a "mere disguise" for the canal project. "No one has been fooled," the left-leaning group said in a statement.

   The New Right Union called Lee's decision "disappointing."

   "The canal project was a superb pledge that could have changed the nation's fate," said Kim Jin-soo, spokesman for the conservative group. "The president should have faith in the majority of the people who supported him and his pledges and adhere to the canal project."

   hayney@yna.co.kr
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