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kiwiduncan
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
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 Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: Grand canal plans NOT to be shelved |
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From what i've read in the last few days it looks like Lee Myung Bak's plans for the grand canal have been shelved. I can't confirm this however as talk of this in the English press has been pretty sparse and going through the Korean new articles takes a fair bit of time.
Here's one article originally from the Donga Ilbo.
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<동아일보>도 12일 4.9총선 결과 한반도 대운하 강행이 불가능해졌음을 지적하며 대운하 대신 고속철도(KTX)를 확중하는 쪽으로 정책방향을 바꿀 것을 이명박 대통령에게 주문했다
The Donga Ilbo, noting that the result of the April 9th election means pushing on with the grand canal has become impossible, is advising President Lee Myung Bak to change the policy focus on to expanding the KTX rail network.
황호택 <동아> 수석논설위원은 이날자 칼럼 '한반도 대운하와 KTX'를 통해 "한강과 낙동강을 잇는 대운하를 건설하려면 복잡한 행정절차를 하나로 묶는 특별법이 필수적"이라며
Chief editorial writer at the Donga Ilbo, Hwang Ho-Taek said in his "The Grand Canal and the KTX' This Day column that a special law would be necassary in order to combine the complicated administrative procedures that proceeding with the grand canal would call for.
"(그러나) 한나라당은 총선 공약에서 대운하를 빼고 과반 의석을 달성했지만 당 안팎에서 '친박(親朴)'이 60석 가까이 당선된 데다 '대운하 전도사'를 자처하던 이재오 의원의 낙선으로 추진력이 떨어질 수밖에 없게 됐다.
"However, while the Grand National Party dropped the grand canal plans from their election policies and won a parliamentary majority, supporters of Park Geun Hye have close to 60 seats and with Lee Jae-oh, the self-proclaimed "grand canal leader", losing his place in parliament, the driving energy behind the canal plans could do nothing but drop.
대통령 후보 경선 때 대운하에 반대했던 박근혜 전 대표는 아직 그 견해를 바꾸지 않았다. 통합민주당 자유선진당 민주노동당은 대운하 반대 의사를 분명히 하고 있다"며 총선 결과 대운하 추진에 불가능해졌음을 지적했다.
Park Geun Hye opposed the grand canal plans when vying with Lee Myung Bak for the Presidential nomination and her outlook has not changed. The United Democratic Party, Liberty Forward Party and Democratic Labour Party have all made their opposition to the grand canal clear and the result of the elections has made it clear that the grand canal plan cannot be driven forward.
그는 "노태우 전 대통령은 국가기반시설(SOC)에 관한 한 많은 업적을 남겼다"며 경부고속철도가 노 전 대통령 작품임을 상기시킨 뒤, "경부고속철도 서울∼대구 구간 개통 4주년을 맞아 수송 분담률을 조사한 결과 고속철도(KTX)가 62.5%로 압도적이었다.
The columnist went on to write that a lot of work from former President Noh Tae-Woo's national basic infrastructure plan remains to be completed. The Gyeongbu KTX is seen as the work of former President Noh Tae-Woo. Within fours years of the opening of the Seoul-Daegu section of the KTX line, the proportion of goods sent via KTX is an impressive 62.5%
2010년 대구∼부산 구간이 완공되고 나면 KTX의 분담률은 훨씬 높아질 것"이라며 고속철도의 높은 경제성을 지적했다. 그는 "미국에서는 환경주의자들도 철도의 부흥을 환영한다. 전력을 사용하는 고속철도는 고유가와 지구온난화 시대에 경제성이 높은 환경친화적 교통수단"이라고 덧붙였다.
Hwang Ho-Taek also wrote that when the Daegu to Busan section is completed in 2010 the proportion of goods transported by the KTX is predicted to dramatically increase, and again noted the KTX's economic strength. "In the United States environmentalists too welcome the revival of the railways. Electrified railways are an economical and environmentally friendly from of transport in an age of high oil prices and global warming" he added.
그는 다시 화제를 대운하로 돌려 "3면이 바다인 반도 국가에서 국토를 종단(縱斷)하는 대운하의 경제성에 대해서는 회의적인 시각이 널리 존재한다"며 "30분∼1시간씩 걸려 통과하는 갑문과 터널이 10여 개나 있는 운하가 물류와 관광에 얼마나 기여할 수 있을지 충분한 검토가 있어야 할 것"이라며 대운하의 효용성에 회의를 나타냈다.
Turning the topic back to the grand canal the writer said "There is widespread scepticism about the economic value of a canal cutting through a peninsula country side oceans on three sides", saying "there needs to be sufficient assessment of how much benefit a canal, where going through each of the ten locks and tunnels will take between 30 minutes and an hour, will be for shipping and tourism" amd again expressing scepticism about the canal's utility.
그는 이어 "전임자가 시작한 사업을 이어받아 마무리를 잘 짓는 것도 훌륭한 업적"이라며 "물류와 관광을 위한 토목공사라면 경부고속철도 대구∼부산 구간의 완공을 앞당기고 나아가 호남고속철도(오송∼목포)와 동서고속철도(서울∼강릉)를 건설하는 것이 나은 대안(代案)이 될 수 있다. 철도 르네상스라는 세계적 추세에도 맞다"며 대운하 대신 고속철도 확충에 주력할 것을 조언했다.
The writer went on to say "taking on and successfully completing the work of one predecessors is also a great achievement" and "if you want to undertake public works for shipping and tourism then moving ahead with completing the Daegu-Busan section of the KTX and constructing KTX lines to Mokpo and Gangnung could be a good alternative". This would be fitting given the world wide railway renaissance said the writer, who advised concentrating on expanding the KTX rather than the grand canal.
그는 "이 대통령은 원로들과의 모임에서 '대운하는 청계천처럼 밀어붙이지 않겠다'고 말한 바 있다"며 이 대통령 발언을 상기시킨 뒤, "노무현 대통령은 대선 공약이던 수도 이전을 무리하게 추진해 이제 와서 그만두기도 어렵게 됐다. 수도 분할로 인한 비능률과 낭비가 두고두고 대한민국의 경쟁력을 갉아먹을 수 있다. 널리 의견을 들어 대운하가 국가적 낭비와 대통령의 실패를 부르는 일은 막아야 한다"며 우회적으로 이 대통령에게 대운하 포기를 주문했다.
"President Lee said at a meeting of elder statesmen that the grand canal would not be forced through like Cheonggyecheon was" the writer noted. After saying this.... |
Last edited by kiwiduncan on Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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Nice translation, I'm jealous of your ability to read Korean.
I hope Lee does in fact shelve the project.
The next major assault is going to be health care. If Lee gets his way, we will have a US style health care system.
One of the professors that I teach said Sicko is playing in a limited number Korean movie theaters (mostly the ones that show art type films) now even though it is an older movie. This is suppose to bring about awareness of Lee's health care proposals. I'm skeptical it's going to do squat and I think now that the GNP controls the National Assembly everything under the sun could be pushed through including gutting the health care system here.
Hopefully people will realize it before it's too late and they screw things up. |
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kiwiduncan
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:27 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, but it takes a bit of time and I got bored near the end. There is something about the Korean writing style that causes lots of points and ideas to be stated repeatedly.
I couldn't be arsed translating the last paragraph, but it basically says Lee should not make the same mistake that Noh Mu Hyun did in trying to push forward his capital city relocation plan against strong oppostition.
From my experience of the Korean medical system I'd say they are better to stick with what they've got. It's not perfect but following the American system would be a mistake. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:54 am Post subject: |
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The next major assault is going to be health care. If Lee gets his way, we will have a US style health care system.
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Countries with state health insurance have been known to experiment with some degree of privatization here and there. However, I think it would be quite unprecedented for a country with a system that covers everyone to adopt American-style private health care.
Would you happen to know what Lee's rationale for wanting this is? For example, is he saying that Korea has some major health care problems that can only be solved by going private?
My guess is that, in the backrooms, he's got some backers with a vested financial interest pushing private health care onto the agenda, and that is the only reason this is happening. I'm just curious about what his publicly stated reasons are. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:58 am Post subject: |
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| From my experience of the Korean medical system I'd say they are better to stick with what they've got. It's not perfect but following the American system would be a mistake. |
Yeah, we know how banks here pretty much make up their own rules when dealing with foreigners, lying about how much money you can take out, etc. Can you imagine what private health insurance companies would be like when you're trying to file a claim? |
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kiwiduncan
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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It now looks like the government is still hoping to push ahead with this unbelievably plan.
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Canal Plan Will Go Ahead: Minister
The government will push ahead with its controversial canal project if private firms make proposals to the government, the Land Ministry said yesterday.
If private companies propose business plans (on the canal), we will review the opinions of experts and people broadly and go ahead with it, the ministry said in a report to the National Assembly.
The ministry also plans to discuss the plan with the Assembly, provincial governments and other related institutions, it added.
Analysts said that the ministry report could be seen as an official announcement that the government will not abandon the canal project despite mounting opposition.
Top officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party discussed 193 major state projects that were selected in January in their first reporting session last week.
The presidential office and the ruling Grand National Party said they would take more time to consider public opinion.
The Land Ministry also ruled out the possibility of scrapping the innovation city project, saying it would reshape the plan.
We will continue to carry out the construction of innovation cities to spur regional growth, the ministry said.
The governments move to revise the plan to build a new administrative town and innovation cities drew opposition from local residents earlier this month.
Critics argue that the areas where the new cities are to be built will descend into chaos if the central government drastically overhauls the development scheme.
The dispute widened after the Board of Audit and Inspection announced that the former government had overstated the economic benefits of the new city plan.
In addition to the major construction schemes, the ministry said it would further ease the multi-layered restrictions on land development and construction.
By Ko Kyoung-tae
([email protected]) |
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Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Location: Goseong
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:46 am Post subject: |
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Kiwi,
This doesn't surprise me at all. Especially given the fact that Korea's economy is slowing down. The canal is going to be touted by Lee as an economic incentive to help Korea grow.
Here's the one problem with this whole thing. If the GNP members of the National Assembly rubber stamp this, they will be going back on their pledge to take it off the table.
I figure this will get pushed through given one party controls both branches of government.
OTOH,
I don't know specifically about the rational for doing this, but I have heard it directly from Koreans that this could happen. My guess is trying to cut government spending. When I have a chance I'll do a search and see if any articles come up in English. I'm a bit swamped right now. |
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