Nationwide Heavy Rain... Political Circles Reignite '4 Major Rivers Controversy'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As nationwide heavy rains caused massive damage, controversy over the Four Major Rivers Project?covering the Han River, Geum River, Nakdong River, and Yeongsan River?initiated during the Lee Myung-bak government (MB) has reignited in political circles. While the opposition claims that expanding the Four Major Rivers Project could have prevented this flood disaster, the ruling party counters that the flood prevention effects have already been proven ineffective.

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, said to reporters immediately after the emergency committee meeting on the 10th, “There have been many debates about the Four Major Rivers Project itself, but after experiencing this flood, I cannot help but think that excluding the Seomjin River was a wrong judgment.” On the same day, Ha Tae-kyung, a United Future Party lawmaker, wrote on Facebook, “With the collapse of the Seomjin River embankment and subsequent river flooding, a reevaluation of the Four Major Rivers Project is underway,” adding, “If the riverbed depth is dug several meters deeper to increase the river’s rainwater capacity several times, naturally there would be a flood prevention effect.”

Jeong Jin-seok, a United Future Party lawmaker, criticized on the previous day, “Many people ask what would have happened if the Four Major Rivers Project had not existed this time,” and said, “The Moon Jae-in government is still determined to demolish the weirs installed in the Four Major Rivers even at this moment. It is truly outrageous and heartbreaking.” Jeong served as the chairman of the “Special Committee to Prevent the Destruction of the Four Major Rivers Weirs” during the Liberty Korea Party era and led the representative proposal of a partial amendment to the River Act in June to prevent the dismantling and removal of the Four Major Rivers weirs. Former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo pointed out, “During the MB era, they blocked efforts to maintain tributaries and streams following the Four Major Rivers maintenance, and now do you realize it?”

The Four Major Rivers Project was a project during the Lee Myung-bak government that invested 22 trillion won in budget, focusing on securing water resources and flood prevention by installing large weirs and dredging riverbeds. However, audits conducted twice by the Board of Audit and Inspection during the Park Geun-hye government in 2013 and the Moon Jae-in government in 2018 concluded that the flood prevention effect of the Four Major Rivers Project was minimal.

Yoon Geon-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said, “Some in the United Future Party claim that if the Four Major Rivers Project had been implemented on the Seomjin River and others, the flood disaster could have been prevented. It is truly absurd,” adding, “The harms of the Four Major Rivers Project have already been proven through all kinds of data and research. Your mistakes cannot be forgiven just because you say this.” Yoon emphasized, “The disaster is still ongoing. In this situation, the opposition is blaming others first. Are they really sane? If you are a party that has managed the government, you should unite to overcome the crisis at times like this. This is not the time to be blaming others.”

Kim Jin-ae, floor leader of the Open Democratic Party, pointed out, “The United Future Party, which was blaming the flooding of the Seomjin River on the absence of the Four Major Rivers Project, must feel awkward now that the Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir blocked water flow and caused the Nakdong River embankment to collapse.”