Information Flows through the Drainpipe.`......

Optical cable installation for Internet communication in the inner part of drainpipes is attempted for the first time in Korea.

According to the Ministry of Environment on June 3, the Environmental management Corporation consulted together with communication companies including Hanaro Communication, Dacom and KT, to install an optical cable at Paldang drainpipe from August.

The communication businesses will install an optical cable in the upper part of the internal drainpipe when the maintenance business is completed in 2005. This will enable internet service to 9 City and Province subscribers residing in Guri, Gwangju, Icheon, Namyangju, Hanam, Yongin and Yangpyeong, Gapyeon.

Ministry of Environment explains that it is cost effective to install an optical cable in the drainpipe compared with existing methods, the excavation work to bury the cables in the underground channel.

Drainage Manager Yong-cheol Choi said that it takes about 2 weeks and 150 ~ 230 million won to install a 1km optical cable through the existing excavation method, but only 1 or 2 days and about 50 million won through the drainpipe.

He also mentioned that it is environmental-friendly since it can reduce noise, and vibrations and has simple maintenance.

Laying optical cable as described above is a construction method selected widely in foreign countries such as Germany or Japan. It wasn`t however available in Korea as pipe quality was low and drainage laws that stated nothing interfere with the water flow that is allowed to be installed.

Ministry of Environment will start using drainpipes that can stand for at least 50 years from the Paldang demonstrative business, while modifying the drainage law to allow taking advantage of space in the drainpipe.

Kyung-Joon Chung news91@donga.com