Stop ‘Killing Four Major Rivers’

Hong Sung-Tae

Professor of Culture and Content at Sangji University

The Lee Myungbak administration and the Grand National Party are enforcing the ‘Restoration
of Four Major Rivers: Revival of Rivers, A New Korea’ project regardless of objection from 70% or
more of population. More than 2,000 professors are calling for its termination, while defining this
project as leading to national devastation. Catholic priests in front of Myeongdong Catholic
Cathedral, pastors in front of Anglican Cathedral, and Buddhist monks in front of Jogye Temple
are praying while demanding the stop of ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ project. What, in
reality, is this civil engineering project requiring a huge amount of taxpayer’s money, over 22 or
30 trillion won, in only three years? Would it really keep rivers alive? No. It will not. The project in
reality is ‘killing four major rivers’ in the first stage of ‘the Grand Korean Waterway.’ Here are
more details on this project

The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is a project to lead the four major rivers representing
Korea, including Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River and Yeongsan River, to near-complete
destruction in only three years, while killing an enormous number of species. Major projects for
the initiative include four Major projects for the initiative include four categories: dredging,
reservoir/dam construction, embankment and bicycle road construction. Accordingly, we can
clearly confirm the truth of the impact of ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ through details on the
four projects. The four projects can be characterized with the largest and worst civil engineering
since the foundation of our country to largely destroy rivers of life to create artificial water
channels. Although going to the sites can best reveal these facts, we can well identify them from
pictures taken from sites. What is really happening?

First, consider dredging. The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ carries out dredging in 570
million m³ over 620km of all the four major rivers. Dredging refers to scouring sediments
accumulated in the river to ensure smooth water detention and runoff in the river. However,
sediments in the river play a role of filtering basins, retarding basins and habitats. Accordingly,
any excessive dredging implies the severe destruction to the river as it is. Dredging should be
done in a very careful manner. It is very ignorant and dangerous to regard sand and gravel in the
river simply as the ‘aggregate.’ Sand and gravel in the river are natural resources extremely
important to the biology, culture and economy of rivers. Nevertheless, dredging of The
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is not only scouring sands and gravels completely but also
destroying riversides and riverbeds largely with explosions and excavations. The dredging of the
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is to entirely destroy the rivers’ role as part of the ecosystem.
The dredging has serious problems as it is, but the explosions and excavations in a large scale
intensify these problems. As a result, the explosions, excavations and dredging in huge mass,
reaching 11 times of Namsan, are generating dust wind and damage to farmlands from the so-
called ‘dredged-soil mountains.’ In order to solve these problems, even soldiers have been
mobilized. Soldiers, to carry out missions to secure the homeland, have become part of
implementing missions to destroy the motherland.

Second, consider reservoir/dam construction. The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ plans to
construct 16 reservoirs and 3 dams. However, in reality, reservoirs and dams have similar negative
effects in that they are meant to be structures to block off the flow of the river. Hence, reservoirs
are called “small dams” for this reason in the U.S.A.Considering this aspect, it aims to construct 19
dams in only three years. Nakdong River, where most dams are planned to be constructed, will
become a continuum of lakes with dams constructed nearly every 30km as a result.
Reservoirs/dams cannot but deteriorate water quality as they block off the flow of the river. The
Lee Myungbak administration argues that reservoirs/dams will improve water quality. Can this
argument negate the principles of science? Clean water will become rotten if it ponds and if dirty
water ponds, it will become more and more rotten. Hence, Professor Kim Jwakwan in Busan
Catholic University points out that the ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ will make Nakdong River
become ’a continuum of dead lakes’ in the end. The Lee Myungbak administration argues that we
have to build reservoirs/dams to secure water resources. However, Korea is never a country
lacking in water. The UN does not use the term “a country lacking of water.” Korea will not
become a country lacking of water even in the future. Reservoirs/dams are thought to be
outdated methods in securing water resources as they incur too much damage such as the
degradation of water quality, inundation, flooding, etc. The advanced method is the so-called
‘green dam’ that enables mountains and fields to embrace water. As a matter of fact, the true way
of keeping rivers alive is by keeping mountains, fields, and rivers in an integrated system.

Third, consider the embankment. The plan is to build the embankment over 690km along the
entire length of the four rivers. The height of the embankment will be determined in general by
the height of reservoirs/dams. Given these aspects, the height of the embankment will reach
5~15m in general. 5 meters corresponds to a two-story building, and 15 meters to a five-story
building.Suddenly, huge structures to completely block off the view of the rivers will be
positioned around riversides over four major rivers. Bigger problems lie in that riversides will be
exploded, excavated and dredged in a large scale and they will become vertical, in order to build
the embankment as such. The Lee Myungbak administration is enforcing the ‘Restoration of Four
Major Rivers’ while it makes the Han River in Seoul the model. However, the Han River in Seoul is
a representative river destroyed by artificial water channels from the natural river while it lived
through the military-development dictatorship by Park Chunghee and Chun Doo-hwan, 3 rd and 5th
President of the Republic of Korea. The symbol is the very concrete embankment. In the end, the
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ aims at the large destruction to the natural river that has been
kept alive in order to construct the concrete embankment on which roads will be constructed with
large development inside the embankment. According to Professor Kim Jeongwook in the
Graduate School of Environment, Seoul National University, the embankment like reservoirs/dams
is not advanced water control, and the large utilization of embankment like reservoirs/dams is not
advanced water control, and the large utilization of embankments is said to have resulted in 100
times or more damage from floods to the contrary. The dismantlement of embankments to
restore the natural river from artificial water channels is the advanced water control as well as the
way to truly keep rivers alive.

Fourth, consider bicycle roads. The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ plans to construct bicycle
roads reaching nearly 1,300km around four major rivers. It plans to build bicycle roads along the
riversides of each river. The Lee Myungbak administration aggressively argues that The
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is a biological project as it addresses bicycle roads. However, it
is a big mistake to think bicycle roads are ecological just because bicycles are biological. As
bicycle roads that have been constructed along urban rivers across the country in a competing
way show us well, bicycle roads in Korea are, in fact, the same as vehicle roads. Bicycle roads are
built by covering soil with the concrete or asphalt. In such a sense, the plan to construct bicycle
roads in The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is a plan to construct vehicle roads along all the
riversides of four major rivers in the end. Bicycle roads that will be constructed to places where
we can hardly reach with a bicycle will end up with the use of vehicles in reality. As a result, the
destruction of riversides will go out of control. In addition, the construction of bicycle roads, just
like vehicle roads, along riversides is the serious destruction of nature, although they are not to
be used as vehicle roads. The large destruction of Dori Island fig marigold habitats in Namhan
River, which have been protected as the only species and are now a species in the crisis of
extinction because of the construction of bicycle roads, is an simple example of proving that the
construction of bicycle roads in The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ has been executed in a
horrible way.

As such, The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ in reality is to ‘kill four major rivers.’ How can we
keep rivers alive while exploding them with explosives, crushing them with excavators, smashing
them with bulldozers, and scouring them with trucks? However, the Lee Myungbak administration
argues that The‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ will resurrect and better the four rivers. This
assertion also negates science in principle in the same way as the argument that reservoirs/dams
will improve water quality. Can a person be resurrected and make better by exploding the person
with explosives, crushing him or her with excavators, smashing him or her with bulldozers, and
scouring him or her with trucks? Maybe, it is possible in other planet but not on earth for sure.
‘Killing’ cannot become ‘reviving’ however hard they may insist that ‘killing’ is ‘reviving’

The Lee Myungbak administration does not keep even essential procedures to the point.
Criticisms have arisen in that: the survey for the preliminary feasibility was not carried out by the
undesirable amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the National Finance Act; the
environmentalassessments, which should be implemented over at least a year, were finished in
only four months; the survey on the indicator of cultural heritage was implemented in formality.
National Election Commission defined criticisms on the ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ by civil
organizations as violations against the election laws and started blocking them in principle.
Although President Lee Myungbak praised Paldang Organic Farming Complex during the term of
his presidential candidate, he has now changed suddenly and is enforcing strategy to completely
drive out over 20,000 farmers in the Paldang Organic Farming Complex. In such a sense, The
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is a simple example of showing the fact that the democracy of
this country is on the brink of a serious crisis in reality as well as in procedures. It is a project to
degrade and destroy the country over the entire nation.

The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is obviously an unnecessary project ‘killing four major
rivers’ unless ‘the Grand Korean Waterway’ is built. It started under the flag of ‘rivers
arrangements projects.’ However, 97.3% of rivers arrangement projects were already finished in
2006, according to the government’s announcements. We can hardly understand that the projects
were completed is such a way as to be restarted in only two years. Branch streams should be
arranged if we really want to work for rivers. The truth lies in another point. Dredging of 570
million m³, 19 reservoirs/dams and embankments in 690km among others fall into the first phase
of ‘the Grand Korean Waterway’, not just ‘rivers arrangements projects.’ The locations of
reservoirs/dams are, in truth, nearly consistent with locations of sluices for ‘the Grand Korean
Waterway.’ It is clearly ‘the first phase for the Grand Korean Waterway.’ Once it sees the progress
to some extent, the Lee Myungbak administration will argue once again that ‘the Grand Korean
Waterway’ should be built.

The Lee Myungbak administration said that ‘the Grand Korean Waterway’ would be built
completely with funds from the private sector. It was suggested that a budget near 18 trillion won
would be necessary. However, the waterway slower than a cultivator might not capitalize the
economy. The average speed per hour is 20km for a cultivator, but 9km for the waterway. Hence,
investments form companies could not be capitalized. However, much more of the budget is
invested, to our surprise, although The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is the civil engineering
project in a much smaller size than ‘the Grand Korean Waterway.’ Although this is a surprise,
another surprise comes from fact that the economy of ‘the Grand Korean Waterway’ can be
largely heightened as The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ completes ‘the first stage of the
Grand Korean Waterway.’ The Lee Myungbakadministration might argue that we need to address
the construction of ‘the Grand Korean Waterway’ from the middle of 2011. To the contrary, the
Lee Myungbak administration addressed that Seoul is a ‘port city’ in May 2010. This might be a
signal to announce the main restart of ‘the Grand Korean Waterway.’

People who become aware of the fact that The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ in reality is
‘killing four major rivers’ and is ‘the first phase of the Grand Korean Waterway’ might wonder why
President Lee Myungbak runs after this useless and destructive civil engineering. We can hardly
understand it even if we exclude ‘the civil engineering politics’ unique to the Korean society.
Korea has been established, not only as a country with deformed developments, but as a country
with deformed developments, but as a country with civil engineering to secure political supports
while seeking for the economic stability under the endless development of unnecessary civil
engineering projects through the military-development dictatorship by Park Chunghee and Chun
Doo-hwan. President Lee Myungbak, who used to be the president of Hyundai Engineering and
Construction, could be one of the biggest beneficiaries from this country of civil engineering. As a
result, he seems to be confident that not the reform but the active utilization of this country with
civil engineering might be the most advantageous to him, and he also seems to consider it
necessary for strengthening the policy of a country with civil engineering in order to reinforce
support for him while weakening support for the assembly woman Park Geunhye, especially in the
southeastern region.

From the perspective of a country of civil engineering, the project is an extreme case. It is not
only the largest civil engineering project since the foundation of our country, which requires more
tax than 22 or 30 trillion won in only three years, but also the worst civil engineering project since
the establishment of our country to largely destroy four major rivers as playing the role of ropes
for us and our descendants. In such a sense, President Lee Myungbak is making a great mistake,
and it is natural that he should face growing criticisms accordingly. More important is, however,
the country of civil engineering itself. Unless the reform for the country of civil engineering stops
endless and unnecessary civil engineering on a large scale is, politicians like President Lee
Myungbak, who make mistakes, will continue to appear. We should not forget the fact that even
Kim Daejung and RohMoohyun, who might be our most democratic and reformative politicians,
fell into the trap in the end while making efforts to utilize the country with civil engineering
without reforming it.

People in favor of President Lee Myungbak are refuting criticisms as saying that: it seems dreary
because the construction is under way for now; that we have no option but to go head as the
construction has progressed to such an extent; that evaluations should be done after the
construction is completed; and even that there were many people who opposed the construction
of the highway between Seoul and Busan. However, these can be refuted in that: The 'Restoration
of Four Major Rivers' will destroy rivers and change them into dreary places; it is right to stop the
large destruction to rivers as soon as possible; evaluations after constructions only mean the
approval on the destruction of rivers; there was no person who opposed to the construction of
the highway between Seoul and Busan itself; and that it is a mistake to compare rivers to the
highway between Seoul and Busan. If it continues under wrong propagations and refutations, we
will end up with the ruin of our country due to civil engineering, following Japan in the end, and
'the lost 10 years' of Japan as a country with civil engineering will become 'the lost 30 years' of
Korea as a country with civil engineering.

People on the side of conservatives or rightwing unconditionally support The 'Restoration of

Four Major Rivers' and at the same time they launch the colored attack by defining those people
who resist to them as progressives or leftwing. However, those people who resist The 'Restoration
of Four Major Rivers' are 'the school of life' to protect the life. Conservatives or rightwing in
reality are just 'the school of killing.' Their actual reasons in the extreme favor of The 'Restoration
of Four Major Rivers' are attributable to the huge project budgets and interests from the
speculation. 'The school of killing' is simply 'the school of speculation.' Amid movements of 'the
schoolof killing’ and’ the school of speculation’ here and there around four major rivers as such,
the Lee Myungbak administration is disseminating that our rivers are those rivers where no fish
lives and no migrant bird visits. However, our rivers are the world-class natural treasure where
various fishes live and tens of thousands of migrant birds visit. ‘The killing of four major rivers’
that has been done under the name of The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ not only kills our
rivers but also destroys the ecosystem of earth.

What should we do protect our rivers? It is necessary to check out the sad reality of The
‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ as we visit sites first. In addition, we have to disseminate the
truth to our neighbors and lead more events to stop the project. We should participate in
activities with interests in ‘the Pan-Countermeasure Committee to Protect Four Major River’ and
‘People who Respect the Rivers of Life’ among others. Furthermore, we should spread the word
that The ‘Restoration of Four Major Rivers’ is ‘the killing of four major rivers’ and ‘the destruction
of ecosystem on earth’ as the ‘Dokdo Protection’ movement across the world. As such, we should
encourage more people across the world to participate in activities to stop it. We should make
greater efforts for activities to call for the world opinion because the Lee Myungbak
administration is not listening to our domestic opinion, as it has already been revealed clearly. We
should call to citizens across the world to vividly perceive ‘the killing of four major rivers’ in reality
through the Internet media like ‘You Tube’
 More important is to deeply realize that a wrong political choice could result in sad effects in
the society that can be irrevocable. If politics cannot be done right, it is possible to see the
extreme destruction of national land with waste of taxes like ‘the Killing of four major rivers.’ As a
result of advancement to the unyielding democratization movement, we could succeed in both
the democratization and high growth. However, we are about to enter the ruin of our country
over our degraded country for the extreme case of a country with civil engineering called ‘the
Restoration of Four Major Rivers.’ We have to stop The ‘Restoration of Four Major rivers’ before it
ruins our country as soon as possible, for the sake of lives of ourselves and our descendants. In
addition, we have to realize ‘the democratization of democratization’ in terms of procedures and
from the perspective of quantity on details, and go for a country of ecological welfare over the
destructive country with civil engineering.