JEJU ― A top official of the International Union for Conservation of Nature on Friday denied the presidential office’s claim that she expressed positive views on Korea’s controversial four-river restoration project.

In June, Cheong Wa Dae said that Julia Marton-Lefevre, secretary-general of the world’s largest environmental organization, highly evaluated the river project during a courtesy call on President Lee Myung-bak.

“I am afraid I was misquoted,” she told a news conference.

She was attending the IUCN’s quadrennial World Conservation Congress on the southern island.

“I don’t have a positive or negative opinion about the four rivers project,” She said. “We ― I myself and most at the IUCN ― do not have enough information to have an informed opinion about the project.”

The 22 trillion won ($19 billion) project that involves dredging and damming the nation’s four large rivers is the most ambitious and controversial undertaking of Lee, who nears the end of his five-year term in February.

While Lee bills it as a “green investment,” many local environmentalists view it as just another major construction project that inflicts significant harm on ecosystems.

“The IUCN could provide independent, scientific advice about this and other issues, if our Korean members ask,” she said.

Marton-Lefevre added that Lee has indeed made “some brave decisions” about green growth.

“We should, and we do, recognize them in general,” she said.

Lee in 2008 proclaimed “low-carbon, green growth” as a new national development strategy and has since allotted 2 percent of gross domestic product to related projects.

“Conservation of nature and economic development are, and should be, closely linked. You call it green growth here and in some places we call it green economy.” “We’re all learning how to do it.”

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)