Planning for the construction of a massive, cross-country canal project will start in earnest following the inauguration of President-elect Lee Myung-bak on February 25. Construction of the canal, which would connect Seoul to Busan via a 750-kilometer-long waterway, is likely to extend through the duration of the president-elect's single, five-year term in office. However, the project continues to face opposition from environmentalists, who question whether it can be completed with the amount of time and money projected by Lee's transition team.

In an interview with The Hankyoreh on January 1, Jang Seok-hyo, who is in charge of the canal project for the transition team, said that the construction of the canal project will start as soon as possible for completion within the incoming president's term. "The 550-kilometer-long Gyeongbu Canal connecting Seoul and Busan will take four years, and the 200-kilometer-long Honam Canal connecting the Yeongsan River and the Geum River will take three years," Jang added, indicating the construction of the canal project could start at the beginning of next year.

The transition team also plans to hold a public hearing on the issue, and it is anticipated that both canal experts and critics of the canal project will be in attendance.

"When Lee Myung-bak's administration kicks off, the canal project will officially start. President-elect Lee is a person who really carries out his intentions," Jang said.

The construction of canals in Gyeongbu, Honam and Chungcheong will start simultaneously and will continue for a period of four years for Gyeongbu Canal and three years respectively for the Honam and Chungcheong canals. The anticipated cost is 16 trillion won (US$16.9 billion) for Gyeongbu Canal and 2.5 trillion won (US$2.6 billion) in total for the Honam and Chungcheong Canals.

To finance the project, the incoming administration plans to attract private investment for Gyeongbu Canal, while Honam and Chungcheong canals will be funded by the state, Jang explained.

Though the new administration is eager to get started, commencement of construction is not likely to take place until next year. "Administrative procedures will start shortly after the inauguration of the new government, but it will be difficult to start construction within this year,'' said Jang.

Late last year, Jang convened a breakfast meeting with the CEOs of the nation's five major construction companies, including Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Samsung Corporation. During the gathering, he explained the details of the envisioned project, and the executives reportedly expressed their willingness to actively participate in the large-scale waterway construction plan. One participant said, "It will require a strict feasibility testing process, but we, as a major construction company, cannot but have an interest in such a an enormous, state-led construction project."

As for the timetable, Rep. Lee Jae-oh said in an interview with the online newspaper Pressian on December 31, "The groundbreaking for the Youngsan River waterway will start in February next year, while the construction of the Seoul-Busan waterway will kick off first, followed by efforts to persuade detractors."

Rep. Lee confirmed that it is a "foregone conclusion" that the next government will go ahead with the planned waterway project, saying, "Opposing opinions cannot be accepted."

The canal project was one of the president-elect's campaign pledges and is reminiscent of a similar, though much smaller, project he completed while mayor of Seoul, the restoration of Cheonggye Stream in the center of the city.

Environmentalists, however, oppose the plan. Yeom Hyung-cheol, an executive of the Korean Confederation of Environmental Movement, said, "Considering the Saemangeum and Sihwa Lake projects will take 30-40 years to be completed, this is tantamount to saying that the government will sidestep democratic procedures to finish construction of the waterway within the time required for the recovery of Cheonggye Stream."

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]