[Sponsored Report] Restoring rivers for green growth in Seoul

Officials of the Office of National River Restoration explain the ecological function of a fish way installed in the downstream of Sejong Weir.

Hosted by the Office of National River Restoration, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs with supervision by K-Water, the International Conference on River Restoration for Green Growth will be held today and tomorrow at the Jamsil Lotte Hotel and around Han River.

The International Conference on River Restoration for Green Growth is being to held to share the knowledge and achievements gained from the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project with about 600 participants. Around 70 experts from 20 countries will be present as well as observers from developing countries who will visit along with local experts, university staff, people from research institutes, various company officials, public servants and citizens.

The four-rivers project is expected to be completed in two years. The project was created to resolve water and environmental issues that resulted from climate change as well as to prevent floods and to secure an abundance of water.

This project is expected to resolve problems that can stem from a lack of water and to prevent floods, as well as improving the water quality and creating a water ecosystem by restoring the rivers.

In addition it is expected to improve the leisure culture of citizens and their quality of life as well as activating the local economy through new, green projects. It is also expected to be a good opportunity to verify the country’s competitiveness in terms of water management.

On the first day of the conference, which is today, there will be programs and sessions discussing the importance of the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project and a new Korean model of the water management business will be presented with experts from the water management industry, environment ecology experts, leisure industry experts and local development and water industry personnel.

There will be themes discussed at each session: water and green development, water resources, local culture tourism development, the water quality ecology environment and the water industry.

There will be special sessions as Gyeongin Ara Waterway and the culture of world rivers.

On the second day, among the eight districts of the Han River the participants will look around the third zone, Dangnam, and the sixth zone, Gangcheon area, and experience the Han river as a riverside ecological environment complete with nature, history and culture.

Shim Myung-pil, minister of the Office of National River Restoration said, “I hope this international conference is a chance to look over the importance and major achievements of the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project and we hope to receive positive support for this project.

We hope this conference is not just a one-time conference but will continue as a conference with continuity and vitality and expand the opportunity to export knowledge of the water industry and receive academic support.”

By Lee Ji-hyun [concordia@joongang.co.kr]