No plan to promote canal plan, Lee says

President Lee Myung-bak yesterday reaffirmed that he has no plan to build a nationwide network of canals during his term.

He repeated that his plan to clean up the four major rivers has no relation to the waterway project.

Opposition parties demand that the government scale back the costly river renovation and divert spending for the project to social welfare.

The dispute is delaying the parliamentary approval of next year`s budget plan.



"The government has already announced it will not build the Grand Canal under this administration and it is physically impossible to do so," Lee was quoted as saying during a policy briefing session with four ministries.

The Grand National Party also declared on Monday that it will not push the canal project.

The waterway project had been his key campaign pledge, but he abandoned it due to public objections. Since then he has pushed the four-river project, which the opposition claims is a preparation for Lee`s long-cherished project.

Lee defended the river cleanup plan as a crucial policy to protect the environment, prepare for future water shortages and fight climate change. The plan received international acclaim, he added.

He urged the National Assembly to pass the bill promptly so that the government could more effectively respond to the economic crisis.

He reaffirmed that the administration will maintain its economic emergency mode through the first half of 2010.

It would not be until the second half of 2010 that low-income brackets will be able to begin sensing economic recovery, he said.

"We will continue to maintain an emergency economic steering system at least until the end of the first half of next year. The government will quickly and effectively implement the budget spending from Jan. 1 if the bill is passed before the end of the year," he was quoted as saying.

He added the government will maintain its expansionary policy for the time being. The government expects the economy to grow around 5 percent next year.

(jjhwang@heraldm.com)



By Hwang Jang-jin