Ara Canal

Ara Canal
Part of the bike path
CountrySouth Korea
Specifications
Length18 km (11 miles)
LocksWest Sea Locks: 2 locks 210 × 28.5 m, 1 recreational lock 35 × 14.5 m; Han river lock 150 × 22 m
History
Original ownerKorea Water Resources Corporation
Construction beganMarch 2009 (2009-03)
Date completed25 May 2012 (2012-05-25)
Geography
Start pointSeo District, Incheon
End pointGangseo District, Seoul
Beginning coordinates37°33′38″N 126°36′06″E / 37.5606°N 126.6017°E / 37.5606; 126.6017
Ending coordinates37°35′56″N 126°47′50″E / 37.599°N 126.7973°E / 37.599; 126.7973

The Ara Canal or Gyeongin Ara Waterway (Korean: 경인 아라뱃길) is a canal in South Korea linking the Han River to the Yellow Sea, bypassing the Korean Demilitarized Zone that the river's estuary lies in. It extends from the Seo-gu district in Incheon to the Gangseo-gu district in Seoul. The canal was built to control flooding, improve shipping logistics, and provide recreational opportunities.