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Yeoju residents who raised funds to erect a memorial to the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project held the unveiling ceremony on April 17 at the plaza of the Gangcheonbo Han River Culture Center in Yeoju.
Former President Lee Myung-bak attended the ceremony and said in remarks, “In the AI era, water and electricity are core infrastructure.” He added, “Restarting nuclear plants can help address electricity needs, but without water resources we cannot sustain future industries.”
He also emphasized the project’s economic and industrial importance, saying, “The Yongin semiconductor cluster is possible because Yeoju has weirs.”
Some 300 people attended the event, including former President Lee and former Yeoju mayor Kim Chun-seok. After the ceremony, attendees toured the Gangcheonbo area.
The monument was a privately led effort spearheaded by Yeoganghoe, a local elders’ association centered on former Mayor Kim Chun-seok, together with the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project Memorial Association. Over 18 months, 4,832 citizens contributed and raised roughly 150 million KRW (approximately $112,500) to fund the project; no public administrative budget was used.
Notable attendees included former lawmaker Lee Beom-gwan, former Gyeonggi Province governor Kim Moon-soo, Yang Hyang-ja of the People Power Party, Yeoju Mayor Lee Chung-woo, and Park Du-hyung, chair of the Yeoju City Council, alongside approximately 300 citizens. Organizers described the monument as “a symbol completed through citizens’ voluntary participation.”
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