Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy inspects disaster recovery progress and reservoir capacity ahead of monsoon

Kim Han-seung, first vice minister of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, inspects the disaster recovery project sites at Jinjang Stream and Dodang Stream in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on Sunday, urging that restoration work be completed before the monsoon season begins and that measures be taken to prevent further damage. [Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy]
Kim Han-seung, first vice minister of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, inspects the disaster recovery project sites at Jinjang Stream and Dodang Stream in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on Sunday, urging that restoration work be completed before the monsoon season begins and that measures be taken to prevent further damage. [Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy]

The government will prioritize maintenance of local rivers at high risk of flooding and vulnerable to damage, as flood losses along tributaries and smaller waterways have recurred every summer.

South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy said Sunday it will establish maintenance priorities for high-risk local rivers this year to help local governments carry out river improvement work in a more systematic and efficient manner.

The ministry also plans to press local governments to accelerate ongoing disaster recovery projects and manage them rigorously to prevent repeat damage. It will also review coordination among relevant agencies — including the Geum River Flood Control Office and the Korea Rural Community Corporation — to enable flexible operation of agricultural reservoirs.

To assess this year's flood response readiness, First Vice Minister Kim Han-seung visited disaster recovery project sites at Jinjang Stream and Dodang Stream — two local rivers in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province that suffered heavy rainfall damage in July last year — as well as Gopung Reservoir, an agricultural reservoir in the area.

Restoration work at Jinjang Stream, which focuses on restoring the original function of damaged embankments and revetments, is set to be completed before this year's flood season. At Dodang Stream, embankment reinforcement and improvement work is underway and scheduled for completion in May 2028.

Gopung Reservoir, with a storage capacity of 8.36 million tons, will release water through its sluice gates within a range that does not disrupt agricultural water supply, securing reservoir capacity to minimize flood damage along downstream local rivers.

"We will manage disaster recovery projects rigorously to minimize flood damage to local rivers, and do our utmost to prepare for this summer's floods by pushing ahead without delay on measures such as securing reservoir capacity," Kim said.


thlee@heraldcorp.com