World's largest tidal power plant threatens the old man and the sea

Sitting in his boat, Kim Seon-man stares into the fog. Slowly he scans the horizon, or where he knows the horizon would be. His boat glides through the water to where other fishermen wait.

For Kim, 55, days like this may be numbered. A tidal power plant of world record-breaking size that is about to be built close to his hometown will likely force him to give up his livelihood -- fishing.

The tidal plant, to be built at Incheon Bay on Korea's western shores, will be equipped with 44 turbines able to generate more than 1,300 megawatts, a capacity that will equal a nuclear power plant and meet 4.5 percent of the nation's household electricity needs.

The project would link Kim's hometown, Jangbong island, with three other islands by seawalls, including Yeongjong that houses the country's main gateway, the Incheon International Airport. Construction of the plant is scheduled to start in 2014 and be completed by the end of 2019.

Older fishermen in the area say they already have less fish because of tidal flats reclaimed to build the airport. "The waves changed," said Kim. Nowadays, Kim and other fishermen at Jangbong don't bother to take their boats out so often. "Mostly we collect shells," he said.

Kim was born in Incheon to parents who were Korean War (1950-53) refugees from North Korea. The family moved to the island when he was a little boy, and he never left. His father was a fisherman but "died early," said Kim. His mother took over as the family supporter and went fishing everyday. After he finished school, Kim followed in his parents' footsteps and also became a fisherman. "I chose this profession on purpose. I wanted to be free," he said.

Korea, one of the largest importers of oil in the world, gives priority to energy security. One of its centerpiece policies is green growth, and tidal power is one of the cleanest source of energy available. The country's western coastline is ideal for tidal power generation with a tidal range that exceeds that of almost all other coasts in the world, up to 8 meters.

For the fishermen in Incheon Bay, however, the country's other massive tidal plant is not an encouraging precedent.

In Ansan, just south of Incheon, a project was undertaken in the mid-1990s to build an artificial fresh water lake, Sihwa. A dam was built on tidal flats and land was reclaimed to its east. The government said the water from the lake would be distributed to the area's farms. The project turned into a dirty disaster, however, and the lake became a stinking pool of algae and mud. Marine life disappeared and the fishing grounds went also. The government was forced to declare the project a failure and to compensate the residents.

"The people were dependent on the ocean," said Han Kyung-koo, a liberal studies professor at Seoul National University who was part of a four-man team that investigated the effects the Sihwa project had on inhabitants of the area.

"They were compensated, but did not know what to do with the money," Han said. The residents did not know how to start over, having only experienced one way of earning their livelihood. "Back then, I could feel how lives were destroyed at Sihwa," he said.

The government's solution for the stinky lake was the world's biggest tidal power plant, bigger than the previous 40-year title-holder in Rance, France. The plant went into operation in August 2011 and, in addition to producing electricity, the turbines have been exchanging water between the lake and the ocean. Soon after, the quality of the lakes water significantly improved.

The turbines also changed the current again, however, and again the schools of fish moved. Knowing this, Kim is worried about what may happen at Incheon.

As the fog breaks, Kim can see and recognize other boats. Instead of drifting on the calm sea, they sit as if marooned on the mud ground of the tidal flats. The fishermen, who went out before low tide, have five to six hours to dig for shells, before the waves set them afloat once again. Fishing isn't profitable anymore, Kim says. "They (fishermen) have given their fishing licenses back to the government."

As a community leader, Kim is also worried about the division the tidal plant is creating in his small village.

Many in the community see the plant and dam construction as a godsend. The dams would connect Ganghwa, a popular island with visitors to the area, with the mainland and make all the islands accessible by car, opening wide possibilities for tourism-related business and bringing revenue to residents and the city government.

"The fishermen are against (the project)," Kim says, "all others are in favor of the dams."

To be fair, Kim looks at all development projects with a degree of suspicion. He accepts that being able to go everywhere by car and earn money from tourism would be convenient. But when living on an island, one must accept small inconveniences, he says. That is the price for life on an island, which for Kim, is the price of freedom.

"Change came from the outside," Kim said. "It is best when people live their traditional life." (Yonhap)