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RHMFIUU/CHJUSMAGK SEOUL KOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 000810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHB, OES/SAT, OES/PCI AND OES/EGC 
STATE FOR EAP/K, ISN/NESS AND STAS 
STATE PASS TO EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP AND CEQ 
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL, NE, FE, AND EERE 
USDOC FOR 4400/MAC/EAP/OPB/ITA/TA 
USDOC FOR NIST 
HHS FOR OGHA 
HHS PASS TO NIH FOR FIC 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTL PROGRAMS 
STATE PASS TO NRC FOR INTL PROGRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EAGR ECON ENRG TBIO TPHY TRGY TSPA KGHG KS
SUBJECT: SEOUL ESTH UPDATE - APRIL 2009 
 
In This Issue 
------------- 
- Korea to Begin Controversial River Restoration Projects in 
September 
- Climate Change Affecting Korea: Southern Peninsula Becoming 
Sub-Tropical; 
  Fruit Production and Fisheries Altered 
- Korea to Build "Smart Power Grid" Pilot Complex by 2011 
- Korea to Invest in Seaweed Biomass as a Future Biofuel Source 
- 1500 Dolphins Spotted in Sea of Japan during Whale Watching Test 
Cruise 
- NASA and the Korean Aerospace Research Institute Discuss Possible 
  Cooperation in Civil Space and Aeronautics 
- Korean Centers for Disease Control Recalls 1122 Products that Use 
Talc 
  Containing Asbestos 
- Tuberculosis Infection Rate Declines Slightly in 2008, but Remains 
High 
- Dementia Affects 420,000 Koreans, Is Expected to Increase as 
Population 
  Ages 
 
----------- 
ENVIRONMENT 
----------- 
 
Korea to Begin Controversial River Restoration Projects in 
September 
------------------------------------- 
------------------------------ 
¶1.  On April 27, the Korean government unveiled an interim plan for 
its four major river restoration projects, aimed at flood control, 
securing sufficient water supplies, upgrading river water quality, 
and reviving ecosystems, as well as boosting local economies through 
job creation to carry out the various projects.  The program to 
renovate the country's four major rivers - the Han, Nakdong, Geum, 
and Yeongsan - is a key part of the 50 trillion won (USD 37 billion) 
Green New Deal, a set of policies the government announced earlier 
this year aimed at laying the groundwork for the country's green 
growth.  The final plan is scheduled to be announced by the end of 
May, after a series of public hearings and consultations with 
relevant ministries and agencies.  The restoration activities are 
scheduled to begin in September after Korea's rainy season. 
 
¶2.  The four-river restoration program calls for the construction of 
several small- and medium-sized dams, reinforcement of river banks, 
and the dredging of designated shallow areas as flood control 
measures.  Dam construction, along with the construction of new 
reservoirs and the expansion of existing reservoirs that will to 
store up to 1.25 billion cubic meters of fresh water, is intended to 
alleviate expected water shortages, as well as provide water for 
increased irrigation.  Improved water quality and revived ecosystems 
will be accomplished through the construction of increased numbers 
of sewage facilities and banning riverbank farming to prevent direct 
inflow of pesticides and fertilizer.   In addition, more than 1400 
km of bicycle trails, with pedestrian paths and sports facilities 
will be constructed along the riversides to promote tourism and 
"green culture."  The government will build two medium-sized dams 
and eight reservoirs on the Nakdong River, three reservoirs each on 
the Geum and Han Rivers, and two reservoirs on the Yeongsan River. 
In addition, 96 existing reservoirs will be expanded. 
 
 
SEOUL 00000810  002 OF 005 
 
 
¶3.  Public opinion on the river restoration program remains mixed. 
Some newspapers have praised it, saying it will "...enliven the 
rivers and their regions by improving water quality and securing 
water resources."  Opposition parties and some members of the public 
continue to oppose the plan saying it is preparation for the 
cross-country canal scheme that President Lee Myung-bak withdrew 
last year in the face of strong opposition.  Other environmental 
groups and some academics have said the program focuses on water 
security and riverside aesthetics rather than on restoring 
ecosystems. 
 
Climate Change Affecting Korea: Southern Peninsula Becoming 
Sub-Tropical; Fruit Production and Fisheries Altered 
--------------------------------------- 
--------------------------------- 
¶3.  According to National Institute of Meteorological Research data, 
the average temperature on the Korean Peninsula Korean has increased 
1.7 degrees Celsius since 1912, more than double the rise in the 
global average temperature rise of 0.74 degrees.  Dr. Chung 
Yong-seung, Director of the Korea Center for Atmospheric 
Environmental Research says that the border between temperate and 
sub-tropical climate in East Asia used to lie between Cheju Island 
and the Korean Peninsula, but has crept northward in the past few 
years to include the southern parts of South Jeolla Province and 
South Gyeongsang Province.   The National Statistical Office (NSO) 
said on March 24 that this climate change has impacted the country's 
agricultural and fishery production.  Cultivation of apples, a 
temperate zone fruit, which amounted to 43,650 hectares in 1996, 
contracted to 29,204 hectares in 2007.  While apples are 
disappearing, cultivation of peach trees and tangerine trees is 
increasing.  "As danger from frost damage is decreasing, peach 
cultivation is expanding," an NSO spokesperson explained. 
Tangerines, a subtropical fruit that used to be cultivated only on 
Jeju Island, now is growing also in the southern parts of the 
Peninsula. 
 
¶4.  The fishery sector is another industry affected by the change in 
climate.  Cuttlefish catches, which totaled 75,000 tons in 1990, 
jumped to 186,000 tons in 2008 as the sea around the Korean 
Peninsula has become warmer.  Anchovies also have become more 
plentiful, and they, in turn, attract mackerel and tuna, which feed 
on them.  Pollock, meanwhile, which thrives in colder waters, is 
quickly disappearing, with catches of 27,000 tons in 1990, but a 
near zero catch in 2008 due to both warmer water and over-fishing. 
 
 
Korea to Build "Smart Power Grid" Pilot Complex by 2011 
------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
¶5.  Korea plans to build a "smart power grid" pilot complex by 2011 
that can enhance the country's ability to more efficiently use power 
resources, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) said in a March 
28 press statement.  The future-oriented grid merges conventional 
power lines with information technology (IT) infrastructure and 
satellite communication systems, and permits real-time monitoring of 
electricity demand and output.  MKE said the complex would act as a 
pilot project to check the feasibility of the "smart grid" system 
before expanding it on a national scale. 
¶6.  Korea operates a flexible electricity power pricing system that 
levies higher charges during peak times of electricity demand of the 
day.  The smart grid system will allow consumers to immediately 
check how much power they are using and choose to operate appliances 
 
SEOUL 00000810  003 OF 005 
 
 
when the price is cheaper. 
¶7.  The plan is part of Korea's effort to increase energy usage 
efficiency.  MKE said a decision would be made by November on where 
to build the smart grid pilot complex, with construction to be 
completed by June 2011. 
Korea to Invest in Seaweed Biomass as a Future Biofuel Source 
----------------------------------- --------------------- 
 
¶8.  Korea will spend 365 billion won (USD270 million) over the next 
10 years to create new seaweed farms that can increase the country's 
ability to produce marine biomass energy, the Ministry of Food, 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MIFAFF) said on April 22.   The 
plan by MIFAFF calls for the creation of 35,000 hectares of seaweed 
biomass in the territorial waters on the east and south coasts and 
near Jeju Island that can eventually produce up to 1.56 billion 
liters of ethanol per year by 2020. 
 
¶9.  Currently, Korea grows seaweed on approximately 11,000 hectares 
of seaweed farms.   But most farmed seaweed grown in Korea is 
consumed as food; moreover, seaweed is not yet cultivated on a large 
enough scale to allow commercial ethanol production.  In addition, 
according to local scientists, the domestic capability to produce 
bio-fuel from seaweed is not yet efficient enough to make the 
process economically viable (in contrast to ethanol production from 
other biomass materials like corn).  Research and development is 
currently underway to improve methodologies to use seaweed as a 
bio-fuel source. 
 
1500 Dolphins Spotted in Sea of Japan during Whale Watching Test 
Cruise 
-------------------------------------- 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  The City of Ulsan, on Korea's southeast coast, used to be the 
commercial whaling center of Korea.  Its economy suffered when Korea 
acceded to the moratorium on commercial whaling imposed by the 
International Whaling Commission in 1986.  Since the moratorium, the 
area has seen increased number of whales and dolphins, and Ulsan 
City is taking a new approach to benefit from their presence. 
According to local news reports of April 14, when Ulsan city 
authorities test-operated its whale/dolphin watching cruise ship on 
the Sea of Japan off the coast of Ulsan City to assess the potential 
for whale and dolphin watching tourism, ship operators spotted a 
spectacular 1500 dolphins about three miles off the coast of 
Jangsangpo Port after just 30 minutes of sailing.   City officials 
said in their news release that they will start operating the ship 
every weekend beginning at the end of May. 
 
-------------------- 
Science & Technology 
-------------------- 
 
NASA and the Korean Aerospace Research Institute Discuss Possible 
Cooperation in Civil Space and Aeronautics 
------------------------------------ ---------------------------- 
 
¶11.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and 
the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) held a 
bilateral meeting from April 21-22 to discuss possible cooperation 
areas in civil space and aeronautics at the KARI compound in 
Daejeon.  The 10 member NASA delegation was led by Michael O'Brian, 
the NASA Assistant Administrator for External Relations, and the 
 
SEOUL 00000810  004 OF 005 
 
 
Korean delegation was led by Hwang Jin-young, the KARI Director of 
Policy and International Relations.  Both sides agreed to have a 
second round of discussions in the summer in Washington to identify 
possible areas of cooperation in such fields as space exploration, 
earth science, space communications, space science, and aeronautics. 
 
 
------ 
Health 
------ 
 
Korean Centers for Disease Control Recalls 1122 Products that Use 
Talc Containing Asbestos 
------------------------------------- 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) 
released on April 10 a list of 1122 medical, cosmetic and other 
products from 120 companies that use talc containing asbestos.  KCDC 
recalled and banned all but 11 of the products, for which there are 
no suitable substitutes.   Separately, the Prime Minister's Office 
said it will forbid the production and importation of talc 
containing asbestos and develop comprehensive restrictive measures 
and standards for the carcinogenic material by the end of June.  The 
series of actions come a week after domestic media began reporting 
on baby powders, cosmetics and drugs that were found to contain 
asbestos.  (Note:  No U.S. products are affected because, as the 
Korean media has noted, the U.S. and European Union have banned 
products containing asbestos.) 
 
Tuberculosis Infection Rate Declines Slightly in 2008, but Remains 
High 
------------------------------------- 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  The number of South Koreans who were diagnosed with 
tuberculosis last year inched down but its infection rate remained 
high compared with other countries, the Korea Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a recent report.  According to 
the report, a total of 34,340 people were newly diagnosed with 
tuberculosis last year, slightly down from the previous year's 
34,710.  Of the total number of 34,340 TB patients, nearly 10 
percent -- 3,387 people -- were diagnosed with multi-drug resistant 
tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases, and about 10 percent of them suffer 
from the more virulent extensive drug resistant tuberculosis 
(XDR-TB) strain. 
 
¶14.  Despite the health authorities' efforts, the rate of new 
infections in the country is not slowing down.  After falling to an 
annual new infection low of below 31,000 in 2003, the number have 
been on the rise, with an additional 34,000 to 35,000 people 
diagnosed with the disease annually in recent years.  This year is 
the first time the organization made the number of MDR-TB patients 
public. 
 
Dementia Affects 420,000 Koreans, Is Expected to Increase as 
Population Ages 
------------------------------------- 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶15.  Over 400,000 senior citizens suffered from dementia last year 
and that number will likely increase further in the coming years as 
 
SEOUL 00000810  005 OF 005 
 
 
the country's population is rapidly aging, a government report 
showed on April 13.   According to the report by the Ministry of 
Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, the number of people afflicted 
with the disorder stood at 420,000 last year, comprising 8.4 percent 
of those aged 65 or older.  The number will likely exceed the one 
million mark by the end of 2027 as the nation's population ages at a 
faster pace, the Ministry projected. 
 
¶16.  The increase in cases of dementia is expected to place a strain 
on the country's social, health and financial resources, as well as 
on the resources of families who have members suffering from the 
condition.   In September last year, the Korean government launched 
a drive to help affected families by unveiling a financial support 
program to help elderly citizens receive early diagnosis and 
treatment for the condition.  Under the program, senior citizens 
will receive a free cognitive function check-up every two years, 
while those from low-income families will receive financial support 
for treatment. 
 
STANTON