President Lee reaffirms scrapping of controversial 'canal project'

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS details in paras 2-4; UPDATES with civic groups' reaction
near bottom)
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.
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
(END)