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In court

  • 14/09/2003

wall stalled: A mid-level court in South Korea has stayed further work on the Saemangeum Sea Wall which, upon completion, would be the world's largest coastal drainage project. More than 3500 citizens and local environmental groups had earlier filed a case against the proposed structure.

Conservationists contend that construction of the 33-kilometre-long embankment along the Yellow Sea can prove disastrous for fishing activity and bird life in the region. Significantly, the wetlands are a spawning ground for the highest fish diversity in South Korea. In fact, the livelihoods of 25,000 Korean fisherfolk depend on them. The proposed sea wall would also block 30,000 hectares of tidal mudflats, which are an important habitat for several endangered bird species.

Interestingly, the government is divided over the issue. Whereas the fishing and environment ministries consider the project economically and environmentally unfeasible, the agriculture ministry

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