Green Power sweeps away Green: Tidal Power Plant

Tidal Power Plant threatens hundred thousands shorebirds and their habitats

Han-river estuary meets extensive wetlands surrounding islands, such as Ganghwa-do, Kyodong-do, etc. This area provides internationally important habitats for migratory birds on the East-Asian Australian Flyway, which are estimated around 100,000 shorebirds and at least 10 endangered species every year. It might be recommended as Ramsar Sites according to the international criteria.

However, MLTM(Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs), Incheon City is now propelling Tidal Flat Power Plant, a mega-construction work with 7 dams stretching from islands to islands over 20km. It would be the largest construction work on the sea since Saemangum reclamation. The construction work will damage at least 20% coastal wetlands.

This will degrade and devastate habitats and roosting places for lots of migratory birds. Blackfaced Spoonbills[Platalea minor], the population of which is about 2,300 in the world, lay eggs on the islands and feed their babies. About 10% of world population of Oyster Catcher[Haematopus ostralegus osculans] and Eastern Curlew[Numenius madagascariensis] is observed on this wetlands And other endangered species, such as Chinese Egret[Egretta eulophotes], cranes, spotted sandpiper, Spoonbilled Sandpiper[Eurynorhynchus pygmeus].

Even Lens, a French city, stopped to construct more tidal power plants after construction of 750m long dam on the sea, cause it definitely devastates marine ecosystem.

what you can do to save rivers in crisis

What we can do to save rivers in crisis?

Let them flow as they are. To restore its vitality as ever.

Then we humans do make ourselves be accustomed to the cycle of lives,we should not shut it down.

(photo. Dong-river, once threatened by dam construction. A symbol of successful River Conservation Campaign in S. Korea)

South Korean Rivers make affluent wetlands with diverse lives for humans as well as for nature itself.

Probably the same as yours.

Rivers curve along mountains and carry spectacles of lives to downstream.

They slow down the upstream when rainy season as they go downstream. And store rain along riverbasin in forms of marsh, pond, small streams and underground water. Upstream and downstream connect us all.

We could say rivers flow with mountains and mingle with the sea.

(photo. Nakdong-river estuary, under the threat of mega-construction projects, such as "Korea Grand Canal" and "4 River Management".)


Now... What we can do together to save rivers in crisis? Should they lose all vitality and lives in them? We can make them flow as they used do. Please follow one of our campaigns to SAVE RIVERS.

• Read real stories of S. Korea's RIVERS; Han-river, Geum-river, Yeongsan-river, and Nakdong-river.
• Be aware of S. Korean government's green-disguise; Lee administration favors bulldozer-conglomerates but pretends to appear greener as in the article "Das grüne Herz von Seoul" in die tageszeitung. Let us know ASAP what it says in your mass media.
  
• Send us PETITION letter of support that we can deliver to the President's office. Or you may send e-mails of your voice. (President's office: foreign@president.go.kr)
  
• Send us Videoclips of support that we can edit and upload for S. Korean media. Or upload it directly on the Youtube and link it at this blog so that I can identify.
• If you need real and objective information of S. Korean rivers, just send me e-mail.
• If you have a blog, please follow this campaign so that your countries should not immitate green-disguised economic package (or Green New Deal) of S. Korea.
  

Korean citizens vs. Lee M.B. government

How do you think about Lee M.B., the president of S.Korea? Is he still a "Saving Seoul" hero, who redesigned Cheonggyecheon stream*?

NO MORE!

Lee has finally decided to construct a Gyeongin Canal, connecting the Yellow Sea and the Han River. Environmental impact assessement was finished less than 2 months over 18 kilometers long.

In the past, lots of Koreans find this newborn Cheonggyechoen stream very attractive in a mega city notwithstading its half success. After redesign lots of other streams and small rivers have suffered a surgery, got rid of original flora and fauna from the stream, and paved with banks and roads for leisure. We could say that Lee's Saving Seoul program turned out a disaster and/or a BAD environmentalism in the end.

Bad environmentalism of Lee M.B government has been criticized since its inauguration. Because he hasn't forgiven Korea Grand Canal, though he promised not to propel it against the will of people. Until now the majority of Koreans do not want canals. See the image(by Choi, Ho Cheol) on the below how people demonstrated their will against Lee's BAD POLICY and sheer DEVELOPMENTALISM.

All he promised to Koreans turned out a lie!
He just pretended to become a president of S.Korea.

With betrayed mind, people gathered together at Cheonggycheon and in front of Gyeongbok Palace** with candles of hope. Recently journalists are being investigated by prosecutors because they broadcasted candle light demonstration and mad cow disease. And one of them are arrested because of it. People concern that democracy should retreat to the status of military government 20 years ago.


*Cheonggyecheon stream was once a urban stream near Gyeongbok Palace. And Lee helped pave the stream, burying it under an elevated highway as he was a young employee at Hyundai Construction and Engineering in the 1960s. In 2006, he re-paved and buried it over artificial stream for ever when he was a mayor of Seoul city.
**In front of the Gyeongbok Palace, there has been a DRUM, which people can signal what they want to say unfairness to the King. You may see a Blue House, where president lives at the foot of the mountain below. Gyeongbok Palace is in front of it.

Should Han River be connected to the Yellow Sea?

"Should Han River be connected to the Yellow Sea? Through Canal?"

Han River runs through Seoul and many other provinces and meets the Yellow Sea at the estuary. Every year this intertidal mudflat welcomes the endangered wildlife and migratory species; spoonbill, swan goose, cranes, shorebirds, ducks, and so on.

If Han River Canal, which is going to cut into the river and connect to the Yellow Sea, should constructed in 80 meters wide, 6 meters deep, 18 kilometer long, it will degrade all habitats for wildlife. Swan Goose(above photo) will lost its feeding ground and won't come back to Russia.
(Han River Canal is called Gyeongin Canal by the government, because it covers Seoul, Incheon and Gimpo.)

Day after day, Lee M.B. government insists the necessity of CANAL(like the above photo, but will be twice the size!) for cheaper transportation and transboundary trade to China and Japan. These days the president and ministers emphasize that this canal project will lead GREEN GROWTH. But they want to budget most of the money into estate development like they did the same in the past.

But rivers are alive and will be like they ran, if we try to stop this reckless & remorseless project of Lee M.B. government. When the Han River Canal complete, the Nakdong River(above photo) will be transformed into the canal. It's not a imaginary story.

If you agree and support our campaign, do try to make videoclip to express your opinions.
Or just forward this page to yours and friends of the river worldwide.