Introduction
In 1977, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system was
introduced in Korea as a potentially effective means for resolving
environmental problems as well as creating harmony between development
and conservation. In particular, it sought to create awareness
of the importance of environment-friendly development and conservation
for both proponents and the public. Through the EIA system,
it was hoped to expand the provision of green space in land development,
to minimize topographical changes due to construction, and
to designate additional protected areas in large scale tourist developments.
However, the EIA system is usually conducted after a number
of strategic decisions have been made during the early stages of the
planning process; thus the inherent limitations, such as difficulties in
establishing alternatives and difficulties in altering project boundaries,
are exposed (Marsden, 2002; Therivel and Partidario, 1996). Due to
the limitations associated with the EIA system, large-scale national
development projects have seen a number of social conflicts regarding
development and conservation.