Gyeongpo Lake surrounded by banners...Fountain installation for and against heating

[Anchor]
The controversy over the pros and cons of installing large-scale fountains in Gangneung Gyeongpo Lake, a representative lagoon on the east coast and home to migratory birds, has heated up.

The pros and cons who expect water quality improvement and tourism effects and the opposition who are concerned about damage to the ecosystem are confronting each other.

Reporter Song Se-hyuk covered it.

[Reporter]
Gyeongpo Lake, where Gangneung City is spending about 25 billion won to install a fountain and improve water quality.

As if surrounding a 4.3km lake around the perimeter, banners in favor of the installation of the fountain were hung.

The fountain to be installed here in Gyeongpo Lake is 400m long, and the water stream can be pumped up to 150m high. If it goes according to the plan, it will be operated from the first half of next year.

Fountain facilities include oxygen supplies to improve water quality, which has been exacerbated by increased seawater inflows.

The proponents argue that the fountain will restore the lake ecosystem along with improved water quality, and help the local economy as a tourism resource.

[Choi Jongbong / Gangneung City Prosperity Hall: Gangneung citizens feel that tourists are walking away due to the worsening water quality and the bad smell. Now, not only water circulation and water quality improvement, but also the establishment of a new tourism infrastructure....]

However, the opposition opposes that there is a high risk that the fountains, which are artificial facilities, will damage the natural ecology of Gyeongpo Lake.

The problem of water quality deterioration was exaggerated, and the effect of improving the water quality of the fountain needs to be verified, urging the project to be withdrawn.

[Lee Hyo-sook / Citizens' meeting against the installation of Gyeongpo Lake artificial fountain: What Gangneung City should do is immediately withdraw the Gyeongpo Lake artificial fountain project and start with an open Gyeongpo Lake water quality check with experts and citizens]

Gangneung City received conditional permission from the National Heritage Administration in June, and is preparing additional administrative procedures, including deliberation by the Gangwon Provincial Park Committee.

Gyeongpo Lake Fountain Project, which was canceled more than 20 years ago after controversy over the pros and cons.

Attention is focusing on whether it will run aground or be installed as planned this time.

I'm YTN's Song Sehyuk.