DMZ conservation plan unveiled

Animals living inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) are to be given access to the other side of the highway that is to be built in parallel with the rejoining of the Seoul-Shinuiju railway. Passages designed for their free movement will be built over or under the highway.

This blueprint was made public Wednesday by the government as part of plans for the preservation of the eco-system in the area along the trans-Korean railway. The railroad is slated for completion in September.

The projected four-lane highway will stretch 5.1 km between the Tongil Bridge in Paju, Kyonggi province and Jangdan in North Korea. Work on the road site is now under way and a 420-m section is to have a bridge aimed at protecting the animal habitat. Animal passages will be built in 17 places.

A 140-meter tunnel will be constructed to facilitate the movement of large animals in the DMZ, with a roof designed to blend in with the natural surroundings. There will also be an arch-shaped, 300-meter bridge along with eight pathways for smaller animals. A 60-meter section of the tunnel in Kubong area will have no roof.

Plans for the conservation of the eco-system along the railroad track are yet to be finalized, but overpasses are likely. The DMZ harbors such rare animals as cranes, yellowish brown serpents and aquatic plants The Seoul government is this year expected to apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for designation of the DMZ as a border wildlife preserve.