South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak\'s US$20 billion effort to dredge, dam and beautify four major rivers is riddled with flaws that could cost a fortune to maintain, the state auditor said Friday.
Revitalising the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers was the centrepiece of the outgoing president\'s \"Green New Deal\", a bold plan to create jobs after the 2008 global downturn.
Started in 2009, the 22.2 trillion won (US$20.1 billion) project involved the construction of 16 weirs and dams along the four rivers that were straightened and dredged to improve water quality and prevent flooding.
But a report by the Board of Audit and Inspection suggested the three-year effort had fallen far short.
Revitalising the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers was the centrepiece of the outgoing president\'s \"Green New Deal\", a bold plan to create jobs after the 2008 global downturn.
Started in 2009, the 22.2 trillion won (US$20.1 billion) project involved the construction of 16 weirs and dams along the four rivers that were straightened and dredged to improve water quality and prevent flooding.
But a report by the Board of Audit and Inspection suggested the three-year effort had fallen far short.