Saemangeum Embankment
-
LocationByeonsan-ro Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryTour
- Korean새만금 방조제
- Chinese-萬金防潮堤
- FieldGeography / Liberal Arts
- Contents TypePlace Name / Facility
- Current LocationByeonsan-ro, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Gunsan-si, Gimje-si, Jeollabuk-do
- Definition
- An embankment linking Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do with Bieungdo-dong, Gunsan-si
- Summary
- Saemangeum Embankment is the world’s longest embankment built for the reclamation of the Saemangeum area. It is 1.4 km longer than the Zuiderzee (32.5 km) of the Netherlands, which has been the world’s longest embankment. Thus, it has been registered with the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest embankment. The area extends over Buan-gun, Gimje-si, and Gunsan-si, all in Jeollabuk-do. The Saemangeum Reclamation Project included the construction of a 33.9 ㎞-long embankment linking Bieungdo-dong, Gunsan-si to Sinsido Island of the Gogunsan Archipelago to Daehang-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun and formation of reclaimed land measuring 409 ㎢ (equal to two-thirds of the size of Seoul, 140 times the size of Yeouido) including reclaimed land measuring 291㎢ and lake/marsh measuring 118 ㎢. It was the largest one of the reclamation projects ever carried out in the country. “Man” and “geum” in the name Saemangeum are from Mangyeong Plains and Gimje Plains, the country’s largest breadbaskets, and the name means new land as large as Mangyeong Plains and Gimje Plains combined. The name Saemangeum was first used officially in November 2, 1987.
- Development
- The Saemangeum Reclamation Work was started in November 28, 1991, with the work for construction of the embankment divided into four sectors. The work schedule required completion in order of the 4th Sector[1991~1994], 3rd[1991`1994], 1st[1991~1998], and 2nd. The 4th Sector, which was an 11.4 km-long section linking Yamido Island, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do with Bieungdo-dong, which is on land, had an average height of 20 m and an average bottom width of 290 m. The closing dyke work was completed in July 1994. The 3rd Sector, which was a 2.7 km-long section linking Sinsido Island with Yamido Island in Okdo-myeon, Jeollabuk-do, had an average height of 16 m and an average bottom width of 198 m. The closing dyke work was completed in July 1994. At the same time, the work for Sinsi Drainage Sluice Gate, the largest one of its kind in the country, was completed in December 2006. It was the work for the installation of ten sluice gates at the concrete structure for efficient management of freshwater lake during floods. The 1st Sector, a 4.7 km-long section linking Daehang-ri, with Garyeokdo Island in Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do had an average height of 2 m and an average bottom width of 201 m. The work was completed in December 1998. The work for the installation of eight sluice gates at the concrete structure built on Garyeokdo Island was completed in December 2003. The 2nd Sector, a 9.9 km section linking Garyeokdo Island with Sinsido Island, had an average height of 35 m and an average bottom width of 290 m. The work for closing dyke was completed on April 21, 2006. Like this, the work for the last closing dyke was completed on the country’s own technology after stoppage of the work on two occasions. With the work for section reinforcement completed on April 27, 2010, the outer wall work completion ceremony was held. The inner work was scheduled to be complete by 2020. The Saemangeum Embankment area includes Gyehwa-myeon, Dongjin-Myeon, Haseo-myeon, and Byeonsan-myeon of Buan-gun.
- Composition
- Major facilities of the Saemangeum Embankment include the 33.9 ㎞-long embankment, 125 km-long bank separating the reclaimed land from the freshwater lake, and two drainage sluice gates (Sinsi drainage sluice gate and Garyeok drainage sluice gate). Curved hydrodynamic double gates were used for the sluice gates to minimize damage to the reclaimed area through prompt drainage of flood water flowing in from Mangyeonggang River and Dongjingang River. A gate of passage was provided to each sluice gate in Garyeokdo and Sinsido for boats and fish. Each gate measures 30 m (W)/15 m (H) and weighs 484 tons. The outflow amount at each gate comes to 15,862 tons/sec. about three times that of Soyanggang Dam (5,500tons/sec.).
- Current Status
- Upon completion of the work for Saemangeum Embankment, the development of the reclaimed land is being promoted as per the basic plan (including international cooperation, industrial research, tourism/leisure, agricultural biology, development of nearby towns, and environment/ecology). The work for infrastructure construction is underway including New Saemangeum Port (4.8 km-long one with total of 18 berths) and longitudinal/latitudinal roads (43.57 ㎞ long). The work for phase 1 of the new port (3 or 4 berths) is to be started in 2011 and to be expanded by stages. With the construction of the embankment, the distance between Gunsan and Buan has been reduced by 66 km with a new four-lane highway. A total of 11 islands (including Garyeokdo, Sinsido, and Seonyudo) of Gogunsan Archipelago have been linked to the mainland.
Meanwhile, the completion of work has given rise to legal/administrative disputes between Buan-gun, Gunsan-si, and Gimje-si in Jeollabuk-do concerning the demarcation of administrative districts for the reclaimed land. In November 14, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Gunsan-si is in control of the 3rd/4th Sectors of the embankment linking Bieungdo-dong, Gunsan-si with Sinsido Island, Okdomyeon. In October 26, 2015, the Central Dispute Arbitration Committee of the Ministry of Interior decided that the 1st Sector (linking Daehang-ri, which is on land in Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, with Garyeokdo Island) of the embankment is in charge of Buan-gun, with the 2ndnd Sector (linking Garyeokdo Island with Sinsido Island in Gunsan-si) in charge of Gimje-si.
- See Also