Government and Civil Society Collaborate on Nakdong River Algal Toxin Investigation

Government officials are joining forces with civil society to conduct a joint investigation into the presence of algal toxins in areas of the Nakdong River affected by algal blooms. This year's investigation will significantly expand in scope and duration compared to last year, and for the first time, it will include assessments of algal toxins in residents' nasal passages to better understand exposure levels.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on June 26 that it is collaborating with organizations such as the Nakdong River Network and the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements to carry out the joint investigation this year.

The Nakdong River is known for recurrent algal blooms during the summer months. As concerns about human exposure to algal toxins continue to grow, both the government and civil society have been engaged in ongoing research and investigations.

This year's investigation builds on a joint study conducted in September 2025, expanding and enhancing its scope. The timing of the investigation has been moved earlier to before the peak of algal proliferation, and both the number of sites and sampling frequency have been significantly increased.

Water sampling will now take place at 10 locations, up from five last year, with the number of samples collected at each site increasing from four to 16. Airborne algal toxin assessments will also be conducted twice as frequently as before.

Notably, this year’s investigation will include new assessments of algal toxin exposure in residents' nasal passages, in addition to environmental samples.

Since early this year, the government and civil society have been discussing the scale and methods of the investigation, finalizing the sampling sites and methods during a site visit to the Nakdong River on June 12.

The National Contracting Procedure has selected the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Kyungpook National University to carry out the investigation, with contracts finalized this month. The National Institute of Environmental Research will also participate in the study at the same sites using similar methods to enhance the objectivity and reliability of the results.

The joint investigation will take place during July and August, when the likelihood of algal blooms is highest. All collected samples will be analyzed by both the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and the National Institute of Environmental Research, with analysis expected to be completed by the end of the year.

A representative from the Ministry stated, "We plan to maintain a close collaborative framework with civil society throughout the investigation period to ensure objective results. The findings will be reviewed jointly and made public, and we will continue discussions on improving management and response policies for algal blooms."