Environmental groups demand full review of Saemangeum, protest road through tidal flats

Environmental organizations are calling for a fundamental reassessment of the Saemangeum development project, arguing that 35 years of efforts have resulted in repeated environmental damage and economic failures. The "Saemangeum Constant Seawater Circulation Movement" held a press conference at the Jeonbuk Provincial Office, criticizing the ongoing development despite the plan's revision.

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For over 30 years, Saemangeum has been a free-for-all during election periods. Even as the basic plan for Saemangeum is being rewritten, environmentally destructive development projects continue.

The core of their protest centers on a planned inter-regional connection road that would bisect the Haechan tidal flats. The group emphasizes that this area is the last remaining pristine habitat in the Dongjin waters and a vital sanctuary for protected species like the black-faced spoonbill, white stork, and white-tailed eagle. They accuse the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency of conducting a "showy, shoddy investigation" by omitting crucial surveys during migratory seasons and only conducting a single summer survey.

The movement proposes utilizing the existing "Jamboree waterproof dike road" to connect regions without constructing new roads, thereby saving costs and minimizing damage to the tidal flats. Beyond the road, they question the feasibility of creating industrial complexes by 2030 through massive land reclamation, advocating for a shift to utilizing surrounding areas instead. They also demand adjustments to the Saemangeum Lake's management water level, considering rising sea levels due to the climate crisis, which could lead to future flooding of reclaimed land and waterfront cities.

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Saemangeum's project has repeatedly caused environmental destruction and economic failure for 35 years. A paradigm shift in the basic plan for Saemangeum is necessary.

Furthermore, the organizations are calling for a review of the Saemangeum New Airport plan. They argue the current plan is for a small-scale airport, not a major hub, and that high-speed rail connecting Jeonju to Incheon Airport would suffice for accessibility. Instead, they suggest developing the planned airport site, the Sura tidal flats, into a national garden-style ecological tourism destination, similar to Suncheon Bay.

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The investigation was showy and shoddy, omitting crucial surveys during migratory seasons and only conducting a single summer survey.