At first, the government tried to make the Korean Grand Canal to transfer people and supplies using ships. However, many people had been opposed to the plan severely, and the government gave up and started the Four-River Restoration Project. This project is a government enterprise for the purpose of preventing floods, securing water resources and encouraging restoration of the land. The government insists that the project is efficient and good for people’s lives. It can help to prevent floods and droughts by securing water resources. The improvements of the water quality can make the rivers sound.
Also, regional economy can be revitalized by the government investing a large sum of money. However, the movements against the Four-River Restoration Project usually began with the Buddhist community, Catholics, and the environmental groups opposing the government’s views extensively. Also, most people are anxious, and doubt the truth about the project because there are resultant problems in economics and natural environment from the Four-River Restoration Project. So, I am against the Four-River Restoration Project. The Four-River Restoration Project is uneconomical.
It is very costly to implement this project. The Four-River Restoration Project costs 22 trillion won to make the water routes. Also, the annual maintenance costs are enormous. It is about 3. 5 trillion won. In addition, the costs for preventing destruction of the environment and disturbing the ecosystem are added to the expenses. I think that is a complete waste of time and money. Though, the government emphasized the benefits of this project continually. They put emphasis on preventing many disasters, environmental remediation, cultural development and economic development.
However, the damages outweigh the advantages in the strict words. Second, there are many environmental disadvantages in the Four-River Restoration Project. Korea has many mountains, and it is surrounded by range after range of mountains. Many mountains have to be dug to make the water routes. Also, the grades of the mountains are steep to navigate, so the government will have to equip the stair-type stanks in a mountainside to set many ships afloat. Also, most countries having the canals are the country with the vast flatland such as Germany. In addition, there is rainy season in Korea.
The level of water between the highest and the lowest is as large as 260 times. So, the stanks must be huge as the dams. Third, the Four-River Restoration Project can do more harm than good for the environment. This project destroys the ecosystem and causes the disasters of the environment. To set up many stanks, the size of the dams, they have to dig through the mountains and rivers, and construct some banks with concrete. These situations could destroy our nature, and made floods because the water routes become straight. So, the force of flowing water is getting stronger.
In addition, this causes droughts and drying up of the underground water. If the surface of the underground water becomes lower, the woods will wither and die. There is no help to make the rivers sound, and prevent the floods and droughts. Also, the quality of the water will be getting worse because of the constructions. Of course, each side brings its own advantages and disadvantages. However, it is sure that the demerits are more than the merits of the Four-River Restoration Project. Now, there are no reasons that have to restore the four Rivers right now.
Our rivers are not polluted severely as the government said, and floods and the shortage of water are not as serious as all that. In addition, a large-scale construction like the Four-River Restoration Project does not need. Also, the Four-River Restoration Project requires the taxes from the public, but most of them do not want to do. Destruction of the environment is now the most worrisome, too. I am afraid I could not see the long, winding natural rivers when the construction will be over. So, I oppose the Four-River Restoration Project.
