In response to the government's decision to utilize Hwacheon Dam for water supply to the Yongin semiconductor industrial complex, the Hwacheon Residents Association walked over 200 kilometers from Yongin to Paroho. During a completion ceremony on November 14, the association urged that local opinions be considered in the water supply decision, compensation measures for dam-related damages be established, and the distribution criteria for the Han River management fund be revised.
The walking group departed from Yongin on November 7 and arrived at the Paroho dock in Gangwon's Hwacheon County on the afternoon of November 14 after an eight-day journey. At this location, over 500 residents, along with the Hwacheon County Council, held a press conference in August 2024 demanding measures for damages caused by the Hwacheon Dam. In October of the same year, around 3,000 residents participated in a rally opposing the water supply at Hwacheon Sports Park.
The residents' backlash was triggered by the government's plan to use the Hwacheon Dam for securing industrial water for the metropolitan area. In 2023, the government began a demonstration to assess how much water could be drawn from the downstream Paldang Dam when water is released from the Hwacheon Dam. The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced in July that it would secure the necessary water for the Yongin semiconductor complex using water from the Hwacheon Dam, Soyanggang Dam, and Chungju Dam, along with reclaimed wastewater.
The first phase of the project, which involves laying a dedicated pipeline from Paldang Dam to the Yongin semiconductor complex, began construction on September 18 in prioritized sections. The first phase aims to supply 310,000 tons of water per day. The government is also pursuing a second phase of the project, targeting completion by July 2034. As the water supply plan becomes more concrete, the accumulated damages since the dam's construction have resurfaced as a contentious issue.
Constructed in 1944, the Hwacheon Dam submerged 7.91 square kilometers of farmland and 266 homes, displacing over 1,400 residents. Approximately 60 kilometers of roads were estimated to have been submerged. The Hwacheon County government explained that the reduction in land available for agriculture and housing, along with the costs of rebuilding or maintaining disrupted roads, has been significant. A study commissioned by the county to Gangwon National University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Group estimated the direct and indirect damages in Hwacheon from 1954 to 2022 at 3.3359 trillion won.
At the completion ceremony, Hwacheon Residents Association President Kwon Soon-ae stated that the long-suffered damages in Hwacheon should be objectively assessed and compensated accordingly. The association demands that residents participate in the decision-making process regarding dam operations and water supply methods, and that the criteria for fund support reflect accumulated damages and contributions to water resource conservation.
Hwacheon County Mayor Kim Se-hoon proposed on that day to establish the distribution criteria for the Han River management fund based on the watershed area of municipalities through which the river flows. This aims to reflect the role of regions that have preserved water resources from the Hwacheon Dam and the upper reaches of the Bukhan River in the distribution process. Mayor Kim emphasized that municipalities affected by the dam and watershed should discuss institutional improvements together.
The Han River management fund is financed by water usage fees and is used for improving the quality of water sources and supporting local residents. The current enforcement ordinance of the Han River management law stipulates that when distributing half of the general support funds for residents, the land area and restrictions on activities in water source management areas should be considered. The remaining half is distributed based on the level of support per resident.
The watershed proposed by Mayor Kim is the area where rainwater and river water converge into the same watercourse. If the watershed area is reflected in the criteria, upstream areas outside designated water source management regions could also be included in the distribution calculations.
In August, Hwacheon County proposed the enactment of a special law for the co-prosperity of the Bukhan River watershed and an increase in water usage fees to the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Mayors and County Heads Council. This plan aims to establish a legal basis for imposing contributions on companies and municipalities that use water. The Hwacheon Residents Association plans to convey their demands expressed at the completion ceremony in a statement to the National Assembly and relevant government departments.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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