hankyoreh

Yeongsan River, which was heavily damaged by the Four Major Rivers Project under the Lee Myung-bak administration, has seen great improvements since the city of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province agreed to initiate a restoration effort in 2014. The Four Major Rivers Project, which was supposed to be a green growth initiative, inflicted severe environmental damage to the river, including deterioration of water quality, ecosystem collapse, and inundation of surrounding farmland. Since the restoration project has been underway, however, the river’s sand banks have recovered and the ecosystem is starting to see wildlife once again, including a twofold increase in birds. The photos shows the river before and after the restoration project. (provided by the Ministry of Environment)