Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 17:00:16 +1000 From: swong@irn.org (Susanne Wong) Subject: Action: Stop Destruction of the Tong River in Korea Dear Friends, Here is another opportunity to fight for free-flowing rivers and the communities that depend on them. For over a year, Korean environmental activists have been successfully campaigning to protect the Tong River from destruction. Through their efforts, construction of the 98m Yongwol Dam was suspended for the last year. However, the Korean government has announced that dam construction will recommence in October of this year - even though over 75% of Seoul citizens are opposed to the project. Environmentalists have been stepping up, organizing a 33 day sit-in that began on March 21 and catalyzing an hour-long primetime debate with officials on Korean TV. But, they still need your help. Please send an email to Korean officials voicing your opposition to this project. More detailed information follows. Thanks for your help. Best wishes, Susanne ____________________ SAVE THE TONG RIVER! Written by Ma Yong-woon, International Coordinator Korean Federation for Environmental Movement The campaign to stop the damming of the beautiful Tong River(or Tong-gang) in South Korea has captured the nation's interest, as it strikes at the heart of the government's outdated water and wetland policies. The Tong River is a 51 km stretch of river that runs through a unique limestone karst region before flowing into the South Han River, source of drinking water for the 20 million people of Greater Seoul. The Tong River's small size belies its international, ecological, and cultural significance. The proposed Yongwol Dam will flood out an ecosystem that meets several Ramsar Convention (Iran, 1971) criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance, as well as lowering water levels for a full 200 km downstream. The Tong River runs through Yongwol in northeast South Korea, with an annual waterflow of 1,337,300,000 tons. The watershed encompasses an area of 2,267 square km. Construction of the proposed Concrete Face Rockfill Yongwol Dam has already been set for! October 1999, though the Environmental Impact Assesment is still ongoing. As proposed, the Dam will stand 98 meters high and 325 meters wide. Proponents claim the Dam will hold 698 million tons of water and produce 19,600 kW of electricity, but as the area to be flooded contains a system of caves and underground rivers this seems highly suspect. While many experts therefore doubt that the dam will actually produce the intended benefits, many agree that ecological damage will be severe. In addition to flooding 21.9 km2, the dam will lower the water surface of the Han River in Seoul 200 km downstream by a full 21cm during the monsoon season. The campaign has grown from a local environmental issue into a national and international one through the efforts of local residents and environmentalists, who are working to expose the Dam's technical weaknesses, its ecological impacts, and the fact that it will also destroy over 20 prehistoric archeological sites, numerous National Cultural Treasures, and the birthplace of "Arirang", Korean traditional music. Concerns over the cultural and ecological costs of the project have already led to a one-year postponement, but the two government agencies responsible for dam construction (the Ministry of Construction and Transportation and the Korea Water Resources Corporation), this month arrogantly announced that they are ignoring the concerns of citizens, experts, environmentalists, and the Ministry of Environment, and will begin dam construction in October, 1999. With the Ramsar "Wise Use of Wetlands" Conference being held in Costa Rica in May, now is the time for the international community to lend their support to the Korean movement. The Tong River meets several Ramsar Criteria: it is a "unique wetland site" by being the only freeflowing limestone karst region river in South Korea, and it also "supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable, or endangered species of plant and animal," including the River Otter Lutra lutra and Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus.. A Draft Ramsar Resolution on "karst and subterranean hydrological systems" calls for the uniqueness and specific endemism of such ecosystems to be conserved. The "inter-dependency and fragility" of the over 240 limestone caves and 30 sinkholes in the region along with its "hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics" easily meet the Draft Resolution's criteria. Although the Tong River Preservation Campaign continues to gather momentum time is running out. A strong international response now supporting the national movement will help to convince the relevant government authorities to cancel their project, and allow the river to flow free. *************** WHAT YOU CAN DO: *************** PLEASE SEND EMAILS, FAXES OR LETTERS TO KOREAN OFFICIALS EXPRESSING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT. Sample Email: The Tong River is of great value not only to Korea but to the world. It meets Ramsar criteria as a wetland of international importance: it should be conserved, not destroyed. Please cancel the dam project immediately, and in so doing win the world's respect. Send letters to the following addresses. Kim Dae-jung President of Korea http://www.cwd.go.kr/index-eng.html "E-mail the President" webmailmaster@cwd.go.kr Kim Jong-pil Prime Minister of Korea m_opm@opm.go.kr Lee Jung-moo Minister of Construction & Transportation 1 Chung-ang-dong Kwachon-shi Kyonggi-do Republic of Korea Tel : 82-2-500-4036 Fax : 82-2-503-7409 jungmlee@moct.go.kr Choi Joung-keun President of Korea Water Resources Corporation(KOWACO) San 6-2, Yonch'uk-dong, Daeduk-ku, Taejon, Republic of Korea Tel : 82-42-629-2408, Fax : 82-42-629-2499 webmaster@kowaco.or.kr Letters of concern to the South Korean embassy in your country could be very helpful too. ------------------------------------ Please send a copy of your responses to the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement: Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) 251 Nooha-dong, chongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea e-mail: ma@kfem.or.kr tel : 82-2-735-7000 fax : 82-2-730-1240 web site : http://kfem.or.kr/engkfem/ For further information or to offer advice, please contact Ma Yong-woon