This file photo shows the downstream part of the North’s Hwanggang Dam on the Imjin River. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — North Korea appears to have started discharging water from the upstream of a dam near the inter-Korean border in the early hours of Thursday without giving prior notice to South Korea, the environment ministry said.
Satellite imagery taken at 3 a.m. showed the downstream of the North’s Hwanggang Dam on the Imjin River had broadened in width, a change not visible from photos taken at 10 p.m. Wednesday, according to the environment ministry.
However, the amount of water released is not presumed to be significant, it added.
The water level of the South’s northernmost Pilseung Bridge on the Imjin River had reached 2.88 meters as of 6:20 a.m., up 2.4 m compared with the same hours the previous day.
The rise in water level was due to the influence of heavy rain near the Imjin River, aside from the water release from the dam.
If the North discharges 500 tons of water per second from the dam, it usually takes about nine hours to reach the bridge.
North Korea is said to have not given any prior notices of the release to South Korea.
The environment ministry updated the military and local government on the situation immediately after confirming the discharge and activated an emergency response system.
In 2009, North Korea agreed to notify South Korea in advance when it plans to release water from the dam, following an accident that killed six South Koreans after the North discharged water from the dam without notice.
But since then, North Korea has given such prior notice only three times, according to the unification ministry.
On June 28, the ministry urged North Korea to give prior notice if it releases water from the dam, citing the need to prevent damage in border areas from possible heavy rains.
“Despite our request for prior notice, it is very regrettable that the North has discharged the water,” a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
(Yonhap)
