Dokdo, Koreas easternmost territory is to be reborn as a new clean zone by 2010.
The government of Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province) announced Monday (April 30) that it would allocate 20 billion won over the next four years to revive the waters surrounding the cluster of islands in the East Sea and create a clean zone. The decision is partly to preserve the marine life there and also to further strengthen Koreas sovereignty over the islands which the government of Japan also claims.
This year, the local government will spend 500 million won to remove various waste materials from depths of 100 meters in a 1,640-㏊ area surrounding Dokdo, starting from early May.
Gyeongbuk-do will also invest 4.5 billion won in 2008 and another 15 billion won from 2009-2010 to clean up a total of 7,809 ㏊ of sea surrounding Dokdo.
The Gyeongbuk-do government is also scheduled to hold working-level talks with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ulleung County, the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Promotion Association and others to map out the details next Tuesday.
Other projects to improve Dokdos appearance include designating a clean-up day for Dokdos coast together with environmental groups.
It only makes sense to clean up the area that belongs to us, an official from Gyeongbuks Department of Environment, Maritime and Forest Affairs said. With so much interest given to Dokdo these days, it is our duty to do our best to preserve the islands marine life.
