BUSAN, Oct. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – A crucial wetland habitat known as “Swan Lake and Sky Pond” in Busan has been selected for the 22nd “Let’s Protect This Place!” citizens’ campaign award by the Korea National Trust, just as it faces destruction from a controversial bridge project.
The site, located in the Nakdong River estuary, represents East Asia’s largest migratory bird sanctuary and is officially designated as a Cultural Heritage Protection Zone (Natural Monument No. 179).
The area serves as a critical habitat for the whooper swan, a Natural Monument species (No. 201-2) and endangered wildlife, while Sky Pond hosts one of South Korea’s largest populations of the critically endangered hawksbill dragonfly (Libellula angelina).
The hawksbill dragonfly, found only in East Asia, requires both old ponds and nearby grasslands for survival. The species has already gone extinct in Tokyo as of 2020 and faces potential extinction throughout Japan. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Despite the site’s ecological significance, the environmental impact assessment for the planned Daejeo Bridge failed to acknowledge these critical habitats. The plan includes removing grasslands near Sky Pond and creating alternative habitats for whooper swans, effectively destroying the dragonfly’s habitat.
Both the Ministry of Environment and the National Heritage Administration approved the project without raising concerns.
A view of “Swan Lake” at the mouth of the Nakdong River, an essential habitat for the endangered whooper swan, designated as Natural Monument No. 201-2. (Image courtesy of Wetlands & Birds KOREA, WBK)
The bridge project would bisect the whooper swans’ habitat, creating what ecologists call habitat fragmentation. Research indicates that bridges should maintain at least a 4-kilometer gap to allow for the stable habitation of whooper swans, which require significant space for takeoff and landing due to their size.
The situation became more contentious when Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon broke his promise to consider alternative routes through a roundtable discussion with citizen groups.
In January, following changes in administration, the Ministry of Environment reversed its 2021 decision that had proposed four alternative routes, approving the original bridge plan. The National Heritage Administration followed suit in July with a rushed review.
“We cannot help but express concern about the behavior of local governments and national institutions that neutralize legally protected areas,” the Korea National Trust stated in its award announcement, urging the Ministry of Environment and the city of Busan to accept alternative routes for the bridge.
However, just one day after the award announcement, Busan held a groundbreaking ceremony for the bridge on October 23. The ceremony was attended by the mayor, local politicians, and construction company representatives, who paradoxically claimed the project would be “a model of sustainable development where people and environment coexist.”
The citizens’ group that received the award has conducted 131 days of protests, 83 days of one-person demonstrations, nearly 60 press conferences, and approximately 80 surveys over the past six years in their efforts to protect the area.
Organizers have vowed to continue their fight to preserve Swan Lake and Sky Pond, arguing that in an era of climate crisis, protecting remaining natural habitats should be a priority.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
