South Korea Offers Ties in Giant Sea Wall Construction

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Taiyoung Cho, is offering the capital cooperation in the formulation of the giant sea wall masterplan in Jakarta Bay. The ambassador also hopes South Korea can also help the Jakarta administration in its construction stage.

“We hope that the collaboration could continue until its implementation,” Taiyoung said at the City Hall on Wednesday, September 17.

Taiyoung said the 33.9-kilometer Saemangeum sea wall in South Korea, which has been operated since 2014, took a lengthy construction process as it was opposed by hoardes of environmental activists—which is similar to what happens to the giant sea wall in Jakarta.

Presently, he added, the reclaimed land around the Saemangeum sea wall was utilized for industrial zones and agricultural fields. He said he wanted to introduce this concept to Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama in the latter’s upcoming visit to South Korea.

Separately, Ahok said his visit to South Korea would aim at discussing the means the South Korean government employed to carry out its plans in constructing the sea wall and land reclamation. He added he also wanted to learn how the South Korean government managed the reclaimed land. “We want to see how they handle it,” he said. 

LINDA HAIRANI