AS SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT-ELECT Lee Myung-Bak prepares to take office next Monday, the peninsula churns in heated debate over his plans for a canal that will cut through mountain ranges and stretch the the length of the country. Lee promises that the waterway will be a shot of adrenaline to wanting inland economies, though many – including myself – believe his plan is severely misguided.
Choe Sang-Hun has a video report for the International Herald Tribune here. A quote from the accompanying article just kills me — a true model of shortsightedness:
“Until now, we saw no future, no way to turn around our economy,” said Baek Young Ja, 43, a restaurant owner. “Talk about possible environmental damage the canal might cause doesn’t mean that much to me. I think more about all the engineers who will come in and eat at my place once construction starts.”
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TDT leaves tomorrow morning for a long-weekend jaunt down South.
Posting will resume as normal on Monday.
