Who becomes a marionette by S. Korea; UNEP?

UNEP has newly released a report, "OVERVIEW OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA'S GREEN GROWTH NATIONAL VISION", on 20 August with the pledge toward green growth in Korea. But it is too shameful that this report begins with lies from the start.

Because, according to the report, this visionary report was made with consultancy of NGOs, such as KFEM(Korea Federation for Environmental Movements) and Eco Horizon, to enhance "sustainability challenges from renewable energy and waste to transport, freshwaters and forestry", but we couldn't find a word of theirs in the report. UNEP has just imitated what South Korean government translated from the hopeful estimates of the project. Like a desperate marionette on the string!

In particular, UNEP applause Lee's construction state that South Korea's stimulus package contains "the Four Major River Restoration Project, which is one of the key components of the Five-Year Green Growth Plan with a total budget of US$13 billion". Though Mr. A. Steiner expects that this mega-construction is "to contribute to securing water resources, improving water quality, preventing floods, and enhancing regional development.", this short-term construction works will affect tremendous area of natural habitats for migratory and endemic species. And people who works along riverine basin will lose their livelihood, too. In addition, lots of future generation will take burden to pay for the irresponsible decision of CONSTRUCTION STATE, which is genuinely interpreted by professor Gavan MaCormack, an author of Client State.

That's why KFEM and other environmental NGOs are campaigning to stop Four River Project initiated by Lee M.B administration.

More details will be forwarded page by page as we review the whole text and con-text.

Petition is going on to stop MEGA-construction

KFEM has opened on ThePetitionSite, calling people's action on the web to stop "Four River Restoration Project" in S.Korea.

You could read a commercial rhetoric from Lee's administration on the web. But you should be caustious not to be deeply attracted by the CGs and spcious words, words, words...
We know that the project could be real as the other commercials on TVs. Yes, it could be, if all data and information are correct.

So... please, read between lines when you meet a read-out from Korean government. Or you should ask them before you read to the end.

Korean governments, including the minister from ME(Minister of Environment), insist that they are going to upgrade water supply & river ecosystem. However, they don't know how to UP!

It's irreputable that correct and honest Diagnosis should be given at all costs before such a big construction works begin. But we don't believe that all EIA(Environmental Impact Assessment) could be finished in a couple of months for such a mega-construction. And all construction works will be finished within 4 years!

Without your petition, all major rivers and adjacent lands in S.Korea will turn into construction sites for 4 years. Do you really want to see such a disaster? If not, click here to sign for a petition to stop it.

Appeal to Save 4 Major Rivers in S. Korea

July 19 2009

Dear Friends

I am writing on behalf of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM)/Friends of the Earth Korea (FoE Korea) to draw your attention to the so-called “Four Rivers Restoration Project,” a set of very large development projects that threatens to destroy river ecosystems and biodiversity in South Korea.

Mr. Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea, is embarking on a project that will seriously damage the ecosystems of four largest rivers in the country. I hope you and your organization will support our campaign by endorsing the attached letter and/or write your own letter in opposition to President Lee’s Four Major Rivers Restoration project.

The South Korean government announced the Master Plan for the “Four Major Rivers Restoration” on 8 June 2009. The rivers are the Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River and Yeongsan River. They are four largest rivers in South Korea and sources of drinking water for two-thirds of the population of the country. The rivers are home to many wild animals and plants including a lot of endangered species.

The purpose of the project is to store water and to control flooding. According to the government, they want to dredge 691 km long sections of the four rivers extracting 570 million m3 of sand and gravel from the rivers and to construct 20 weirs of about 6 m high. The project will potentially prevent fish from laying eggs in the river shallows, eliminate river and wetlands where inhabited by wild animals and plants, and pollute drinking water sources used by much of the country’s population.

The government proposes to spend 22 trillion Korean Won ($17.4 billion USD) of tax payers’ money on the project. It is one of the economic stimulus packages to create employment in accordance with so-called “Low Carbon & Green Growth” promoted by the Lee government. We, however, recognize that large construction projects are not a model for sustainable development in the 21st century. According to the recent poll conducted on 30 June 2009, 66.6% of the Korean populations oppose the project, while 27.1% of them support it.


The bulldozers will start in October 2009. There are only three months left before the initiation of the project. Since its announcement, Korean environmentalists have organized sit-in campaigns from 9 June 2009 in downtown Seoul. We call for urgent action from the international communities and environmentalists around the world. Please send e-mails to the people listed below to save Korean rivers and wetlands from this economically and environmentally unsound project.

Mr. Lee Myung-bak, President of Republic of Korea webmaster@president.go.kr
Mr. Chung Jong-hwan, Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs chungceo@mltm.go.kr
Mr. Lee Maanee, Minister of Environment eman2mev@me.go.kr
with cc to International Affairs, KFEM/FOE Korea at ecokfem@gmail.com

For more information, please contact Ms. Kim Choony/Ms. Jang Seon-yeong at KFEM/FOE Korea via ecokfem@gmail.com, seon@kfem.or.kr.

Thank you very much in advance for your support.

Sincerely Yours,

Kim Jong-nam (Ms.)
Secretary General
KFEM/FOE Korea

------------------

(Sample Letter)

Dear Honorable President Lee Myung-bak,

I am writing to you to express my deep and sincere concern about your proposed Four Major River Restoration Project in your country.

I strongly urge you to reconsider your plan to construct 20 weirs and to extract 570 million m3 of sand and gravel in the name of “restoration of rivers”. This huge project will not restore nor improve the rivers, but only devastate them. It will cause destruction of habitats for many wild animals and plants and contamination of drinking water sources of many people. Moreover this is not a model for Low Carbon & Green Growth that you are initiating now, but the model of ‘algae’ due to deterrence of water flow from constructing weirs.

I understand that 22 trillion Korean Won ($17.4 billion USD) will be spent for this project. Such a large budget can be used to promote economically, socially, and environmentally sound programs in Korea.

Time Magazine chose you as an environmental hero in November 2007. I would like to ask you to show the world your new leadership in environmental protection as a real environmental hero by reconsidering the project.

On 5 May 2009, you also told a group of children that you would be an environmentalist. Please show them your leadership as an environmentalist by canceling this project.

Sincerely yours,

Name
Organization
Country

Who really says the truth; Transformer or Conservationist?

The idea "GREEN" means different!


When Korean President(Lee M.B.) says, it means the death penalty to our Mother River; excavation, sand dredging, asphalt pavement, dam construction, etc. And he says that all construction works will benefit us all with reference to his personal accomplishment, Cheonggaecheon(riv.). When he was a mayor of Seoul city, he made it into a phantastic waterway for amusement.

We define his green as asphalt-mindful-politics! Don't be astray when he open his mouth, because he does not pay attention to what real green examples all around the world.

When we say GREEN, it always meant to protect helpless GREENs.

We say that Korean government's "Four River Restoration Plan" is a "Four River Killing Project" that cuts off natural waterways and creates a gigantic tub.

The core of the "Four River Restoration Plan" is "to increase the quantity of water retained in the Four major rivers (Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, Yeongsan River) by dredging 570 million m³ tons of river bottom and creating 20 weirs(dams)." The plan essentially argues for enlarging and flattening river bottoms and damming up naturally flowing river systems.

Up to now dams in Korea primarily submerged upstream regions of rivers, but now the government plans to turn the entire ecosystem of the river into a massive reservoir with super dams. Such a project will turn four major rivers into a massive tub that not only will cause drinking water shortages but also destroy natural habitats for every life forms along the rivers, human or not.

Citizens are against Killing Project 2009-2012 by Lee M.B. administration.
(images with words "let the river runs as it is" by Baek & Jung from http://blog.daum.net/nocanal)

Everyday we protest on the street, then we learn that words are to be worthwhile to pay attention when spoken with true mind. However, we should remind that even lies could be real when repeated. That's why we say to the world "Save Our Rivers".

Next SAVE RIVERS stories will soon be uploaded as "Eight Reasons that We Oppose the Four River Restoratio Plan"

Mega-construction will soon launch, labelled as "Four river restoration"

New updates to SAVE RIVERS in S.Korea.
It has passed a couple of months, and now we're going to show you newly updated news and request for rivers and streams.

First of all, "Four River Restoration" will turn into a devastating mega-contruction project by Lee M.B. administration;

• More than 2.2 trillion won($17 billion or 12 billion euro), 10% of S.Korean GDP, will be squizzed out of TAX money, nothing from corporations/conglomerates as president Lee once mentioned during election campaign.
• 570 million m³ of sand and pebbles will be excavated on behalf of water quality improvement, Nakdong River will lose 440 million m³ of natural habitats for wildlife.
• 20 dams/weirs will block natural streams and transform rivers into artificial reservoir, and finally slow down the speed of rivers by 90%.
• 2/3 of South Koreans should give up drinking water supply during and everafter these mega construction works.

Lee M.B. administration publicize through all kinds of mass media named "1,000 Days Promise". Because president Lee demands his ministers to spend 2.2 trillion won in 1,000 days. Though they presumes 360,000 new jobs will be made by these mega project, it's just a castle of the sand. In reality, 333 Koreans are now losing regular jobs everyday in S.Korea.

As tax money will be gone, welfare of citizens will be lost amid bulldozers.

More updates will be on and we need your help!

• Detailed information: why we oppose to Four River Restoration Plan by Lee M.B.
• Petitionsite will be open ASAP.
• Letter of Support is ready now.
• What Korean NGOs are campaigning to Save Rivers.