S. korea To Help Restore Ciliwung River

Jakarta, Dec 3 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and South Korea have established cooperation in restoring Ciliwung River, which passes through Jakarta, according to a minister. "Besides the National Monument (Monas), Ciliwung River should become a tourism icon of Jakarta," Indonesian Environmental Affairs Minister Balthasar Kambuaya said here on Monday, during the signing of an agreement between the ministry and the South Korean environmental ministry. The Indonesian government chose South Korea as a partner in the river restoration project because the country had successfully managed to reduce pollution in Han River. "South Korea has gone through a very fast industrialization process that caused serious pollution in rivers such as Han River. But, we have successfully overcome the problem through our restoration efforts," South Korean Environmental Affairs Minister You Young Sook said. On the occasion, Kambuaya said his ministry had already prepared a Ciliwung Restoration plan for the 2010-30 period. "I hope the effort will help restore Ciliwung River`s educational, social and cultural functions for the city," he said. "The river had lost these three functions since 1960s because it was critically polluted," Kambuaya explained. He pointed out that the Ciliwung Restoration plan would require cooperation among the private sector, the government and the public. Ciliwung River passes through the heart of the capital city, by the Istiqlal Mosque and the Catholic Cathedral. The Ciliwung Restoration Agreement was signed by the Environmental Affairs ministry, the Korean Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Restoration efforts under the agreement will be made over the coming 36 months, up to 2015, requiring up to US$9 million.