Seoul: The unification ministry has made a formal request to North Korea, urging the nation to provide advance notice before releasing water from dams along their shared border. This call for prior communication comes in response to unannounced water discharges during the monsoon season, which have raised safety concerns for residents in South Korea's border regions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chang Yoon-jeong, a deputy spokesperson for the unification ministry, emphasized the importance of this request during a press briefing. The rationale for the appeal is to protect the lives and safety of South Korean residents in areas near the border. Chang stated that the Lee Jae Myung government views this as a crucial responsibility, highlighting the direct link between dam discharges and the well-being of the population.
Chang reiterated the humanitarian nature of joint responses to natural disasters and noted that both Koreas have previously agreed to cooperate on flood prevention along the Imjin River, which flows from North Korea to South Korea. The unification ministry's appeal follows a warning from South Korea's environment ministry regarding the rising water levels near Pilseung Bridge on the Imjin River. The water level had increased to 1 meter, prompting the evacuation of visitors from the area.
As of early Friday, the water level had decreased to 0.77 meters, as reported by Chang. The rise in water levels is attributed to the opening of floodgates at North Korea's Hwanggang Dam, which affects the southern side of the Imjin River.
In September 2009, an unannounced water release from the Hwanggang Dam led to flooding in Yeoncheon, resulting in six South Koreans being killed or missing. Following this incident, North Korea agreed the following month to provide prior notice before discharging water. However, such notifications were only sent intermittently in 2010 and 2013, and none have been issued since.