Artists from another consortium, whose bid lost, on Sunday alleged the winning design, which Seoul city released on March 30, copies a similar design created by Kim Young-sub, an architecture professor at SungKyunKwan University. Kim's design was accepted in an international design contest in Shenyang, China in 2003. The two designs allegedly share the same concept and outline.

The consortium argued Shenyang, the copyright holder of Kim's design, could raise an international dispute over the controversial design on the Han River, given that Kim's work had already been published in domestic and foreign magazines.

An artist’s impression of three manmade islands in the Han River that will be built on the southern tip of Banpo Bridge next year.

The Seoul city government's Hangang Project office on Sunday said a review of the winning design showed it to be no plagiarism of Professor Kim’s.

But in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo, Kim disagreed. He said the two designs look similar “and the winner had the cheek to insist that was accidental. I have given a written statement to Seoul city officials, because I believed their job security depends on it."

The Soul Flora Consortium consists of eight firms, including C&Hangang Land. The manmade islands will be built near Banpo Bridge at a cost of W60 billion (US$1=974). Construction will start in July and will be completed in September next year.

(englishnews@chosun.com )