Governor supports Grand Canal plan

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo said that he supports President Lee Myung-bak`s controversial Grand Canal project, saying it was one of Lee`s pledges during his election campaign two years ago.

"If the (Grand Canal) project is what President Lee Myung-bak had promised during the (2007 presidential) campaign, he should do it," Governor Kim told reporters on Tuesday.



"The president needs to communicate with the people and to clear doubts surrounding the four rivers restoration projects," he added.

Opposition parties claim the project as preliminary work of the Grand Canal scheme that President Lee ditched last year in the face of strong opposition.

Instead, the government plans to spend a combined 22.2 trillion won ($17.6 billion) to improve water quality and prevent natural disasters on the nation`s four major rivers by 2012. As a separate initiative, it is developing the Gyeongin Canal that links Seoul with the West Sea through the Han River.

Officials denied speculation that the two projects would be part of the canal plan, saying they need to dig more in order to have boats on the four rivers.

In addition to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, Kim is one of the top officials who have been supporting the government`s Gyeongin Canal project.

Korea plans to build the Gyeongin Canal to expand commercial use of the Han River by linking Seoul with the West Sea. The Gyeongin (Seoul-Incheon) Canal will allow boat traffic on the Han River, which passes through the capital, officials said.

(christory@heraldm.com)



By Cho Chung-un