A controversial massive reclamation project along the southeastern coastline of North Jeolla Province encountered another problem yesterday when a court recommended further research before it makes a final ruling.

The Seoul Administrative Court said the final decision on the Saemangeum controversy could be available after a special committee of government officials and civilian experts specify the project`s purpose and conduct environmental research.

The court has been reviewing the petition submitted by environmental groups in 2001 to terminate the mammoth project as they argue the project will wreak havoc on the local landscape and sea life.

"Any governments, including the incumbent one, have never drawn up the concrete purposes of the project," said presiding judge Kang Young-ho.

The purpose of the project, originally designed to turn tidal land into farmland, has varied to include industrial and tour complexes, company towns and even golf courses.

The court also raised the potentially threatened water quality and government measures aimed at protecting sea life. The court suggested parliament legislate a special law to iron out such issues.

If the advisory decision is accepted by both the petitioners and the government, the ongoing construction of a sea dike will be suspended until after the environmental research result.

The project, which began in 1991, is designed to convert about 120 million pyeong of mud flats into farmland and a reservoir by building a 33-kilometer seawall off the coast. One pyeong is equal to 3.3 square meters. The construction of the 33-kilometer sea dike is about 92 percent complete. About two trillion won has been poured into the project.

The environmental groups indicated they will follow the court`s guidelines, saying they will review the recommendation in an open manner.

The Agriculture Ministry responsible for the project said in a statement that it will study the recommendation and decide later on the future course of action.

The advisory decision is not legally binding. If either side protests the court recommendation by Feb. 2, the final court ruling is slated for Feb. 4.

But the controversy is not expected to abate, as either side could appeal to a higher court.

(smjoo@heraldm.com)



By Joo Sang-min