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South Korean Government ignores both Saemangeum
Legal Ruling and international opinion
As a reminder, Saemangeum is the name given to
the world's largest ongoing coastal reclamation on the west coast of
South Korea. The 40 100 ha project has generated enormous controversy
as the area supports an estimated 25 000 people and some of the largest
concentrations of migratory birds in Asia.
On July 15th a Korean mid-level court made a
historic ruling stating that the Saemangeum reclamation project must
stop, effective immediately. The ruling was welcomed by local environmental
groups, the 3,539 local citizens who brought the case against the government,
and the majority of the population.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, however,
appealed the ruling, and insisted that work should be allowed to continue.
The date for the appeal was set for August 26th.
On August 23rd, though, a South Korean NGO,
the 'Korean Federation for Environmental Movement' (KFEM) photographed
reclamation work continuing, with rocks being dumped to close gaps
in the unfinished 33 km long sea wall. As reported in the Hangyoreh
newspaper (August 25th) this appears to be in clear contradiction of
the court ruling.
This apparent decision to ignore the court ruling
by the Ministry of Agriculture is not unexpected. They have also ignored
months of protests by some of the world's largest environmental groups
including visits in August 2003 to several South Korean embassies worldwide
(by WBKEnglish and leading organizations including Birdlife International,
RSPB, WWF and Friends of the Earth).
International protests are centering on South
Korea's apparent disregard for international conventions which it has
signed, which should ensure the conservation of Saemangeum and the
migratory bird populations which depend upon it. The Australian Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Dr David Kemp MP, has "made diplomatic
and official representations to express concern about the Saemangeum
tidal flat reclamation".
The controversy surrounding the legitimacy of
the reclamation and the anticipated impacts of this project on populations
of migratory birds as well as on fishing communities and regional fisheries,
continues to deepen...
The website of WBKEnglish (http://www.wbkenglish.com/saemref.asp)
contains updated information on the project, including online copies
of the protest letters from last weeks Embassy visits and DR Kemp's
letter referred to above.
The WBKEnglish/KFEM Petition - which is proving
to be a strong message of support for Korean environmentalists - is
on the website as
well. Thank you to everyone who has signed it and please pass the URL
around.
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