The mouth of the Han River resides 230km², approximately more than 80% of the total area in Gimpo, as one of the most important centers of biological diversity and numerous wildlife species in the central part of South Korea. Today some citizen groups have tended to anguish on the problem of conservation of the southern riverside in the mouth of the Han River. The site crucially being threatened recently is the gate of the western sea, the Yellow Sea, through the narrow lands between two cities, Gimpo and Ilsan, and between the land and an island, Ganghwado. The location of the site lies almost in the core of the country, the Korean Peninsula, and the lower territory has been preserved by the military conservation zone for decades.
Recently environmentalists voiced their desire to conserve the natural home of riverbank in Gimpo, the newly developing bed town on the west of Seoul. The opposites, however, are some residents who have moved to the town and town administrators who were elected by the public. The superficial reason that they should persist on is in their urgent issues based on the egoistic aspiration. The first group, mostly town residents and ones related to the real estate business, assert that the site should belong to the citizen right for appropriate activities such as sports, arts, or other interests. The idea seems relatively rational for the people out of the place and plausible for residents there. On the other hand, the result might be a direct intrigue of exploitation of nature in no time. They have never concerned about the concept of environmental problems, for the expansion of the site for their own use will bring them any extra material interests rather than the loss of the real living condition.
The opinion helps support to the local legislators and executives who have expected to utilize it, which might also lead to their another chance for the position next election. They have frequently mentioned the issue that the new town should be expanded to the north riverbank in order to provide the citizen with ample or comfortable facilities. Their ignorance has often been announced on the media that the plan should be a grand business for future generation, that is, a step further insight. The covert trend between the two parties will sign the declaration at a ceremony with a slogan "For better living condition for natural habitats as well as residents."
The people who take the side of exploiting the nature would retort to the opponents that the plan is the key to real and lasting changes in the form of new facilities, better governance, and sustainable development that protects natural resources and habitats. They also applaud with stress that the employment of riverbank will not come too soon. It proves that they already confess the limitation of the plan and make device of expressing excuse for avoiding their liability. In their repeated voices, we can not find any consideration of wildlife which is desperately in need of protection.
The mouth of the Han River, running slowly through fields and hills in Gimpo, has told traditional stories and legends to villagers as well as animals living together. It is one of rare places on the banks where wild birds such as cranes, wild geese, and white-tailed eagles coexist. Among the endangered species, people usually observe some kinds of water animal, river crabs, and land animals such as Gorani, a Korean moose, which have also rooted there for their existence.
The environmentalists report that more than 20 endangered species, including 22 species of the second grade and 2 species of the first grade, have been found on the mouth in the past decades. The area is also the source of fresh water or air supply for more than 200,000 residents there and an island, Ganghwado, across the river, so conserving it is essential for safeguarding the water and food security for the people as well as the species in the areas.
In other words, the mouth is a home to primate species, bird species, reptiles and amphibians and species of plants, and continues to be the source of many new discoveries - some species have been found every year over the past 10 years alone. For example, in 2004 ecologists reported that among 26 endangered species, new species had been increased over the years in the water, on the mud field, and in a shrub beside the river.
The citizen groups against the development of destroying the mouth consider the mouth of the Han River to be one of the nation's top conservation priorities. It is hugely important to maintain a large enough area of the mouth's bush and mud land for the survival of the natural ecosystems and the people that depend on them. This is critical for sustainable development, and the environmentalists stand ready to assist the people living near the mouth in realizing the commitment they have made today.
We also welcome and endorse the initiative to establish a network of protected areas, productive fields and other natural treasure. The aim is to maintain the mouth against the developers who try to hide the intrigue by telling connectivity and ensuring sustainable land use practices. We should also ensure effective conservation and management of the areas rather than development with our own existing respective legal and institutional frameworks.