May 2000 KFEM

Mudflats are unique natural environments located throughout the world. They provide housing and feeding grounds for a wide range of marine life, animals and birds. Mudflats recharge water table levels, act as natural filters for polluted waters and protect the coast from storms and typhoons. Thus, the importance of preserving these unique areas benefits not only nature, but human kind.

In 1971, the international community recognized the importance of mudflats and their need for protection in the Ramsar Convention. There, one-hundred and seventeen nations participated in the Convention and designated one-thousand and eleven mudflats throughout the world to be protected. Korea signed onto the Convention in July 1977 and designated the Yong Wetlands in Daeamsan and Upo Wetlands in Changyoun for preservation. However, the Korean government failed to protect these mudflats and instead, deemed them as high priority areas for potential economic development.

Unlike other signatory countries, Korea failed to recognize the importance of mudflats. Rather, Koreans regarded the mudflats as non-productive lands with no monetary or biological value. As a result, the Korean government and corporations exploited the mudflats for commercial purposes. Mudflats were destroyed and precious marine life, sources of water and buffer zones were lost. In contrast, in Germany, the German government designated their mudflats as national parks in order to protect them. This preserved Germany's mudflats and allowed the unique environment to sustain and flourish.

Increased public awareness and the imminent loss of the Saemangeum mudflat has changed Koreans perception of mudflats. Saemangeum is located in the southwest part of Korea and considered one of the world's five most ecologically important mudflats. It is a unique natural environment that is the feeding ground for migratory birds that spend the winter in Australia and summer in Siberia. Despite this fact and Korea being a signatory to the Convention, Saemangeum is near extinction and this has led to much criticism from outsiders.

Thus, like Germany, Korea must protect and preserve the Saemangeum mudflat and the Saemangeum project should be terminated before the natural environment of the mudflat is lost forever.

1 The Saemangeum region, including Gunsan, Kimje, and Buan, is an internationally important wetland.

The Saemangeum mudflat is located between the Mankyung and Donggin Rivers. The flowing water of the rivers provides rich nutrition and food to many kinds of sea-life where 1 square meter of mudflat can house thousands of marine creatures. More than 50% of waterfowl and snipe visit the Saemangeum mud flats every spring and autumn for feeding and nesting. As mentioned above, this mudflat is also the feeding grounds for seasonal birds hatching in Siberia and staying in Australia during the winter. The Saemangeum Project would destroy bird's migratory feeding and resting habitat, and destroy this unique environment created by the mudflat..

In May 1999, the 7th Ramsar Convention was held in Costa Rica. International NGOs criticised the Korean government for its lack of a strong environmental policy and how the Saemangeum Project damaged the ecology of the coastal wetlands. Therefore, the Ramsar Convention Committee and NGOs urged the Korean government to protect the environment, stating that "the declaration for preservation of wetlands and its developmental protection," against the economic development plan for this area.

2 Saemangeum project waste unbearably heavy tax

The budget for the Saemangeum Project increased from 8,200 million to 2 billion 2,137 million won. The construction and equipment budget for improving water quality was 8,200 million won and the budget for constructing sanitary facilities was 6,506 million won (source from North Jeonla province). But, the budget for improving water quality increased to 1 billion 251 million won. Therefore, to stop the waste of tax payers' money and to save the environment, the project should be stopped.

In the cost-benefit analysis, the Saemangeum Project over estimated its economic benefits. Most national projects underestimate the budget at the beginning, but after launching the project, construction costs escalate and additional funding is needed for completion. The major benefit of this type of project goes to the construction companies doing the work, not the taxpayers.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 30,000 ha of farmland disappear every year due to changes in land use. Much of this land goes into urban land use for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes. Instead, we should emphasize preservation of farmland rather than destroy it. Persons in charge of the Saemangeum Project argue that it will create 28,300 ha of farmland, but this argument overlooks the damage to the environment, regional communities, and the waste of tax money. No Korean wants to spend over 4 billion won to damage the ecology and environment of our wetlands.

Increased current budget condition for Saemangeum project

3. Saemangeum is the second such project. The Shiwhaho project was the first.

Most Koreans remember the disaster of the Shiwha Lake Project. In 1996, Shiwha Lake, a former mud flat, was blocked and eventually destroyed all aquatic life. In response, the Environmental Minister, Jung, Jong-Taek, spent 5,000 million won to improve the water quality of Shiwha Lake and rectify the damages the project caused. However, Shiwha Lake did not improve and much like Saemangeum, tax payers money was wasted.

The Ministry of Agriculture argues that the Saemangeum Project differs from the Shiwha Lake Project and would not result in the same disaster - but the only difference is in size. Saemangeum mudflat is two times the size of Shiwha Lake and would result in an ecological tragedy that twice as big as Shiwha Lake. Additionally, the North Jeonla government (local province) supports the Saemangeum Project because the land would be used for economic production, but this is not the case. The Ministry of Agriculture's method to improve water quality is similar to that of Shiwha. Thus, this project must be stopped as it will only cause irreparable damage to environment.

4. Saemangeum exploitation-project destroys sea and land life.

The Saemangeum exploitation project will inevitably destroy the ecological system of the coastal wetlands and requires a huge amount of stones for building the sea-dike. These two issues have resulted in much international criticism of this project.

In 1999, Parliamentary Member Lee Mikyung (Ministry of Agriculture, Korean Water Resource Department) and 9 local communities reported that building the 106.3 km of sea-dikes in Saemangeum and Shiwha Lake required exorbitant amounts of soil and stone. One-hundred and fifty mountains had to be levelled and destroyed by the excavation.

The Saemangeum Project will construct a 33 km sea-dike using 19,474,000 sqm of material. This will require 130,000 15-ton trucks to remove rock and soil from three major mountains: Haechang, Shinsi and Viung. In particular, 3,838,447 sqm of material was exploited from Haechang National Park. The fact that 19,474,000 sqm of stones and soil was exploited for building 18 kms of sea-dike tell us that to complete the 33 km sea-dike an additional 16,228,333 sqm of material is needed. In addition, the internal construction of the sea-dike will require an infinite number of stones. The Saemangeum Project is not only destroying the sea-environment, but also mountain land-areas.

Since 1985, 20 exploitation projects used 88,691,736 sqm of stones from 150 small and large mountains in Korea. And 19 exploitation projects excavating 52,989,403 sqm of stones is needed for building a 33 km sea-dike. Therefore, we can conclude that stones needed for the Saemangeum project are 68% of the stones required for the former 19 projects. This calculation indicates that the Saemangeum Project would be the largest exploitation project in the world, resulting in damage to the mountains, coastal wetlands, and national parks.

5. The People in North Junla province protest the Saemangeum project because of the damage to their regional communities

People in charge of the Saemangeum Project argue that the people of North Junla Province support the Project. However, this is not completely true. When the project was first proposed, local support might have existed because of alleged inflated benefits of the Project. But, after the Shiwha Lake disaster, many local residents realized that the Saemangeum Project would eventually destroy their environment. Thus, the local people launched a consolidated effort to stop the Project.

Since 1996, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) studied the people living in Shiwha Lake area. KFEM published its findings in a book titled What Happened to the People in Shiwha lake? This book showed that the people of Shiwha lake initially believed that life would better with the completion of the project. This belief was based on the government's promised benefits from the project. However, after completion of the project the Shiwha Lake residents had to flee their homes and earn a living elsewhere.

People in Gunsan, Kimje, and Buan in North Junla province have also begun to flee their homes for the past 10 years as in Shiwha Lake. On 15 March 2000, one thousand people in Buan County held a media event demanding the termination of the Saemangeum Project and to restore community life. This action directly connects protection of the regional communities, with totempole festivals and the campaign for preservation of Saemangeum mudflat.

"The people protesting the Saemangeum Project" launched in 2000 and we expect that anti-project campaign to spread through out the province. This campaign will demonstrate the government's intention to damage regional communities and force them out of their hometowns.

6. The Saemangeum Project is for the Ministry of Agriculture

The Saemangeum Project faces opposition from the public and the local area residents while the Ministry of Agriculture wishes to continue it. The Ministry tries to create the impression that after the completion of the sea-dike, a mud flat will exist and house all kinds of life. This is partially true as a mud flat will form ten thousand years or more later. Additionally, the sea-dike will change water flow and cause coastal land to sink. The Saemangeum natural environment will be forever changed.

According to Korean Environmental NGOs, many people in North Junla Province demand the repeal of the Saemangeum Project while the Ministry of Agriculture attempts to show the necessity and importance of the project thru the press and public. This material from the Ministry seeks support for current projects from the local people and the media.

In February 2000, Mun, Dong shin, the Chairman of Korea Agricultural & Rural Infrastructure Corporation(KARICO), reported the status of the Saemangeum Project to the Blue House (Presidential House). In his report, the Chairman stated that if the Saemangeum Project is not repealed, Korea would waste national tax money, damage environment and lose the trust of the public.

According to statistics in 1989, 5,899 tons of shellfish were harvested from the Saemangeum mudflat But in 1996, this harvest decreased by 84,5% to 978.4 tons. For instance, the short-necked clam harvest decreased from 1,000 tons to 60-70 tons. After completion of the sea-dyke, all kinds of wildlife such as shellfish, seabirds, and earthworms would disappear from the mudflat. Thus white-shellfish and short-necked clam could not be caught and sold in the market in Buan County.

As a result, the North Junla local government and the Ministry of the Agriculture are threatening the Blue House and Koreans to sustain their project that is wasting a large amount of tax money. Therefore, we can no longer remain silent about the Saemangeum Project's waste of tax funds and damage it causes to the environment and regional communities. We must remember that the Saemangeum mudflat is a valuable heritage from our ancestors. This heritage must be passed down from generation to generation to enjoy. Therefore, we declare that the Saemangeum mudflat must be preserved to keep the mudflat alive.