On June 17, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment reported that Minister Kim Seong-hwan traveled along the main river from the Seomjin River Dam in Jeonbuk to the estuary in Gwangyang, Jeonnam, to assess dam operations, river management, and the conservation of wetlands and brackish ecosystems.
The government has designated the period from June 21 to September 20 as the summer flood season and plans to implement a response system for heavy rainfall. Minister Kim first visited the Seomjin River Dam to review the status of water supply and quality management, flood season dam operation strategies, and measures against algal blooms.
The Seomjin River Dam, constructed in 1965, is the country's first multipurpose dam, supplying water to the Dongjin River basin and the lower Seomjin River. The government aims to secure a flood control capacity of approximately 300 million tons in preparation for the flood season.
Minister Kim urged relevant agencies, including the Yeongsan River Flood Control Center, Korea Water Resources Corporation, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and Korea Rural Community Corporation, to establish a rapid response system linking dams, agricultural reservoirs, and rivers in the basin. He also called for enhanced preventive measures against major pollution sources, such as managing compost piles, in anticipation of algal blooms during the rainy season.
He then visited the Seomjin River Flood Control Office in Namwon, Jeonbuk, to inspect the status of river management and flood response systems. The Seomjin River basin experienced significant damage during heavy rains in 2020, resulting in 400.8 billion won in property damage and eight fatalities. Minister Kim requested that relevant agencies ensure thorough responses and prioritize public safety.
Minister Kim also toured key ecological conservation areas in the Seomjin River basin. He checked the status of wetland conservation and management at the Jimsil Wetland in Gokseong, Jeonnam, and assessed the habitat conditions for the endangered otter, classified as a first-grade endangered species, at the Gurye Otter Ecological Park.
Additionally, he visited the confluence of the Seomjin River and Boseong River to listen to local environmental activists and examined the habitat of the freshwater clam and the management of brackish ecosystems at Songnim Park in Hadong and Baedaldo Waterfront Park in Gwangyang. Minister Kim emphasized the need to strengthen monitoring of environmental factors such as water flow and salinity changes and to continue efforts to conserve the ecosystem at the estuary of the Seomjin River.
"The Seomjin River is the fourth longest river in our country and has the healthiest aquatic ecosystem among the five major rivers," Minister Kim stated. "We will strengthen integrated management of the basin to create a sustainable Seomjin River where nature and people coexist."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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