Grand Korean Waterway
Encyclopedia
The Grand Korean Waterway, officially known as the Pan Korea Grand Waterway, is a proposed 540 kilometres (335.5 mi) long canal
connecting Seoul
and Busan
, two of South Korea
's largest cities. The canal would run diagonally across the country connecting the Han River
, which flows through Seoul into the Yellow Sea
, to the Nakdong River
, which flows through Busan into the Korea Strait
. The proposed canal would be 540 kilometers in length and traverse difficult mountainous terrain.
The canal is a project of Lee Myung-bak
, the current president of South Korea
. It has met with huge controversy and disapproval. Lee stated that his canal will lessen the load on the clogged motorways of the country as heavy goods are taken off of trucks and put onto barges and rivercraft. He also argued that it will revitalize the interior of the country with renewed tourism and investment.
Many Koreans are anxious about Lee's plans. They argue that the canal will prove disastrous to the natural environment and potentially hazardous to the freshwater sources that nearly 50 million residents of the country depend on. In addition, many researchers and interested distribution industries prospect the canal may be economically unprofitable because land transportation may be more cost-effective.
Supporters of this plan insist that the length of the construction would only be 40 km linking the Han River with the Nakdong River. The Canal would require sufficient width, depth and height of bridge decks to allow barges passage. Major portions of the Han and Nakdong are far narrower and shallower than is required, with most of the bridges on these rivers being unsuitable as their clearance is too low.
The scale of construction would be enormous; a number of bridges would need to be rebuilt and both rivers would require extensive dredging along the 540 kilometer route.
Lee proposes to fund the project almost exclusively through private funds and subsidize it through the sale of sand and gravel dredged from the rivers and streams involved in the project. This dredging will, he argues, also make the rivers cleaner.
The proposal includes a smaller canal, planned to link Seoul and neighboring Incheon
. It has been suggested that this will assist economic partnerships between the two cities, lessen traffic congestion and stimulate tourism, beyond providing Seoul access to the Yellow Sea
(West Sea). The mouth of the Han River is in an area between North Korea
and South Korea, which limits economic activity in the region for security reasons.
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
connecting Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, two of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's largest cities. The canal would run diagonally across the country connecting the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
, which flows through Seoul into the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
, to the Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
, which flows through Busan into the Korea Strait
Korea Strait
The Korea Strait is a sea passage between South Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean...
. The proposed canal would be 540 kilometers in length and traverse difficult mountainous terrain.
The canal is a project of Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
, the current president of South Korea
President of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
. It has met with huge controversy and disapproval. Lee stated that his canal will lessen the load on the clogged motorways of the country as heavy goods are taken off of trucks and put onto barges and rivercraft. He also argued that it will revitalize the interior of the country with renewed tourism and investment.
Many Koreans are anxious about Lee's plans. They argue that the canal will prove disastrous to the natural environment and potentially hazardous to the freshwater sources that nearly 50 million residents of the country depend on. In addition, many researchers and interested distribution industries prospect the canal may be economically unprofitable because land transportation may be more cost-effective.
Supporters of this plan insist that the length of the construction would only be 40 km linking the Han River with the Nakdong River. The Canal would require sufficient width, depth and height of bridge decks to allow barges passage. Major portions of the Han and Nakdong are far narrower and shallower than is required, with most of the bridges on these rivers being unsuitable as their clearance is too low.
The scale of construction would be enormous; a number of bridges would need to be rebuilt and both rivers would require extensive dredging along the 540 kilometer route.
Lee proposes to fund the project almost exclusively through private funds and subsidize it through the sale of sand and gravel dredged from the rivers and streams involved in the project. This dredging will, he argues, also make the rivers cleaner.
The proposal includes a smaller canal, planned to link Seoul and neighboring Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
. It has been suggested that this will assist economic partnerships between the two cities, lessen traffic congestion and stimulate tourism, beyond providing Seoul access to the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
(West Sea). The mouth of the Han River is in an area between North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea, which limits economic activity in the region for security reasons.