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Korea-Japan Peace Tunnel

February 15th, 2008 by James

korea-japan tunnel

New developments in the campaign to get a tunnel build between Korea and Japan:

Japan and South Korea, long at odds over their wartime history, should be linked by a railway tunnel under the sea symbolising peaceful ties, a group of Japanese lawmakers was reported as saying on Friday.

The cross-party group of parliamentarians is proposing a 128 km tunnel that would be part of a rail link between Karatsu on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu and Pusan in South Korea via two Japanese islands, Kyodo news agency said.

The tunnel — which would be more than twice as long as the Channel Tunnel connecting Britain and France — could one day allow passengers to travel by rail from Tokyo to London, Kyodo quoted lawmakers as saying.

“This is a dream-inspiring project,” Kyodo quoted former defence chief Seishiro Eto as telling reporters after a meeting with other interested lawmakers from various parties. “We’d like to promote it as a symbol of peace-building.”

For some Korean views on the tunnel project, check out this Chosun Ilbo article we linked back in May 2007.



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19 Comments »

Comment by The Overthinker
2008-02-15 22:22:02

Quite insane. Ferries are far cheaper. So you have to transfer – big deal.

 
Comment by David
2008-02-15 22:31:57

Neat idea. Too bad it’s probably economically unsound. The channel tunnel has had financial problems for years…

 
Comment by Luvverly
2008-02-16 00:31:15

Good idea:
nice of them to create, only as a symbolic gesture of peace, and also to showcase the amazing technological innovations.

DUMB idea:
the next big earthquake or minor volcanic eruption and they’ll say
“forget it! What the hell were we thinking??? This is not the English Channel that never gets an earthquake!!! We don’t have solid limestone foundations that never moves under there!!!”

Personally:
I would rather see them build hat Bridge across the Bering Strait from Russia to Alaska.

Comment by The Overthinker
2008-02-16 01:33:08

Now that is nuts. What I want to see, and what has been seriously suggested, is the Great Gibraltar Bridge….

 
Comment by Neko
2008-02-16 04:58:28

Exactly what I was thinking… They have so many earthquakes, being that the edge of a tectonic plate lies along Japan ¬¬ the tunnel won’t cross any plates but surely when Japan moves….part of the tunnel with crack open O…O

 
Comment by Neko
2008-02-16 04:58:55

Exactly what I was thinking… They have so many earthquakes, being that the edge of a tectonic plate lies along Japan ¬¬ the tunnel won’t cross any plates but surely when Japan moves….part of the tunnel will crack open O…O

 
 
Comment by gargoyle1
2008-02-16 02:32:01

. . . and the terrorists are salivating as we speak . . .

 
Comment by Bernt
2008-02-16 03:31:00

Why not? Both Korea and Japan have a strong economy and lots of people. I think this is a good idea.

 
Comment by Bernt
2008-02-16 05:06:07

and the terrorists are salivating as we speak . .

Muslism dislike Usrael and not Korea/Japan

 
Comment by Willie
2008-02-16 07:44:30

Gargoyle,

Almost all terrorist groups are under the control of governments, so which government would want to blow this tunnel up? Al CIAduh was created by British and US intel back in Soviet days, and it’s doubtful they’d do anything.

 
Comment by kaeru
2008-02-16 08:26:20

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I think huge number of hate-japan-terrorists come to Japan
and the peace of Japan must be dead!!

 
Comment by zorak
2008-02-16 10:35:41

Japan-Korea “Peace” Tunnel is the project of Korean cult Unification church.
This is common knowledge among Japanese bloggers.
http://www.asyura2.com/0505/cult2/msg/277.html
The Moonies
http://www.perkel.com/politics/moonies/
Some Japanese diet members have (sexy) secretaries who belong to the unification church.
http://www.asyura2.com/07/senkyo36/msg/411.html

Comment by zorak
2008-02-16 10:46:56

From the link I posted, Seishiro Eto had 5! secretaries from the unification church in 1999.
This project isn’t for peace or friendship, there must be some plans to bring money into the cult.

 
 
Comment by morningstar
2008-02-16 10:57:45

I think that is nuts. I worrry about EarthQuakes. Am I the only one?

 
Comment by helical
2008-02-16 13:10:18

So the word ‘Terrorist’ only conjures up images of Muslim terrorists eh?
For one, there are the Nork agents, who would probably love to have one more method of getting across to Japan, after the coast guard worked up the guts to intercept those little fishing boats filled with RPGs and AKs as well as that one “official” ship being banned from port.

 
Comment by toee
2008-02-17 00:09:58

It’s quite doable, there are many ways to make a flexible tunnel route for vehicles so as to ensure safety from earthquake damage. Making a traditional subway system is even more difficult since the tracks are set in place and movement has to be restricted, but it’s been done.

Considering the amount trade between the two nations, it’d be very convenient and save a lot of shipping fees for businesses, that’s probably the main reason for doing this. Damage to the tunnel via terrorism is unlikely either, they’d have to drill a long hole for the bomb or else it’ll do squat to reinforced concrete (yes, if tanks could *move* with even 6 feet of that stuff they’d be impenetrable to rpgs and c4’s). Drilling would takes hours.

The main obstacle, like everything else, is money. Doubt they’d get the funds for even a split project (then you’d have to make the even larger gamble that the S.K. government would push it).

 
Comment by al bundy
2008-02-21 19:15:23

I think the contractors and engineers are more knowledgeble on the subject than you guys. Quit dismissing the idea because of earthquake worries. I’m sure the Japanese and Korean governments are stupid enough to build something if they knew it would be disastrous.

 
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