Gov't stresses economic viability of Seoul-Incheon canal

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- A proposed canal linking Seoul with the port city of
Incheon is economically viable and may help reduce the country's high
transportation costs, the government said Friday.

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs claimed that the envisioned
Gyeongin Canal, which it plans to build by 2011, is capable of allowing a fully
loaded ship to leave a terminal on the Han River, which flows through Seoul, and
reach Busan on South Korea's southeastern coast in 24 hours.
A river-sea vessel could transit the 18-km-long canal in an hour and then sail
along the western and southern coast in 23 hours to reach the country's main sea
port, the ministry said.
Ministry sources said the canal can effectively reduce transportation costs
because ships can carry more cargo than trucks, and they are not hindered by the
chronic traffic jams on the country's roads,
In order to avoid suspicions of exaggeration, they said, the ministry calculated
the sailing time by simulating a vessel sailing at 18 km per hour in the canal
zone and 35 km per hour at sea, which is slower than the speed of normal
container ships, which travel at 40-44 km per hour.
The ministry's statement came after civic and environmental groups said the plan
is economically unviable and risks endangering the ecosystem. The government
announced a resumption of the canal project on Monday.
Civic groups opposed to the canal held a press conference earlier in the day and
argued that the recent assessment by the state-run Korea Development Institute --
which said the canal project can create 25,000 new jobs and boost related
economic production by 3 trillion won (US$2.24 billion) -- cannot be fully
trusted. They pointed out that the same think tank reported in 2002 that the
project was not economically sound and would not cut transportation costs.
Critics added that the 2.25 trillion won needed to complete the canal could be
used elsewhere.
In addition, opponents said water conditions in the canal could deteriorate if
sewage from the Han River flows into it and then reaches the Yellow Sea.
Work on the controversial canal began in 200l, with the blueprint calling for the
waterway to be 80 meters wide, with an average depth of 6 meters to allow the
movement of large barges and powered ships. However, work was halted in 2003 with
about 3.8 km remaining to be dug.
The government also said it plans to build a six-lane road along its southern
shore, with two cargo terminals to be constructed to handle both cargo and
passengers. It said from 2012, the canal could allow a person to board a ship in
Seoul and sail directly to China.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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