Iksan-si 'Dongmyeoncheon River Environment Maintenance Project' Unavoidable Delays...

Cultural Heritage Trial Excavation and Replacement of Production Infrastructure Must Also Be Addressed

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hong Jae-hee] The ‘Dongmyeoncheon River Environment Maintenance Project’ in Iksan City, Jeonbuk, aimed at preparing for flood damage, is expected to be delayed beyond the original plan.

According to Iksan City on the 24th, although the farmland near Dongmyeoncheon is increasingly at risk of flooding due to the development of the National Food Cluster Industrial Complex, the ‘Dongmyeoncheon River Environment Maintenance Project’ has yet to complete the detailed design. Additionally, after land acquisition, a cultural heritage trial excavation must be completed, making project delays inevitable.

Dongmyeoncheon is a tributary that joins Busangcheon, with a river width (6m upstream, 9m downstream) narrower than the flood level in the basic river plan, raising concerns about farmland flooding during heavy rains or the monsoon season.

Moreover, with the nearby National Food Cluster established, surface water that should be absorbed into the soil is instead flowing into the river, causing poor drainage and overflow flooding.

Accordingly, the city has decided to proceed with the ‘Dongmyeoncheon River Maintenance Construction’ to expand the river width to 18m upstream and 23m downstream in accordance with the basic river plan.

The ‘Dongmyeoncheon River Environment Maintenance Project’ involves an investment of 15.489 billion KRW to reconstruct embankments, revetments, and nine bridges along a total 3.1 km section from Dongchon-ri, Wanggung-myeon to the confluence point with Busangcheon in Pyeongjang-ri.

However, the project, which was scheduled to be completed this year, had to readjust the detailed design in August last year to align with the Iksan Regional Land Management Office’s ‘Mangyeonggang Lower Basin River Maintenance Basic Plan,’ despite having completed the initial detailed design in 2018. The second detailed design consultation is currently underway.

Furthermore, the project still faces issues such as conducting cultural heritage trial excavations and finding replacement facilities for production infrastructure.

Regarding the cultural heritage trial excavation, although landowners were requested to grant land use consent, it remains difficult. Therefore, the city plans to start the Dongmyeoncheon river maintenance construction next year after compensations for the 15,400㎡ cultural heritage trial excavation site are completed.

An official from Iksan City stated, “Although Dongmyeoncheon is a local river, since it flows into Mangyeonggang, the Iksan Regional Land Management Office established the plan, and Iksan City is responsible for the detailed design,” adding, “To facilitate smooth project progress, we are advancing subdivision surveying and land compensation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.