[Desk Column] 'Should We Only Suffer Because of the Long Rain (Gu Yu He Xu Ku)'

[Asia Economy Reporter Myung Jin-gyu] The rainy season in summer, characterized by several days of continuous rain, is called Jangma. Although the Chinese character for "long" (長) is used to denote the prolonged rain, the term itself is a pure Korean word. In Sino-Korean vocabulary, it is also referred to as Gu-u (久雨), meaning long-lasting rain; Im-u (霖雨), meaning unceasing rain; and Jeok-rim (積霖), meaning rain that falls more than twice the usual amount. The term Mae-u (梅雨), meaning rain that falls when plums ripen, is also frequently used.

In 2009, the Korea Meteorological Administration announced it would stop forecasting the Jangma. This decision was based on the observation that unlike in the past, the Jangma, which used to bring heavy rain over a certain period, had become more like subtropical localized heavy rain, making the forecast less meaningful. Supporting this, in the latter half of 2010, phenomena such as dry Jangma and half Jangma appeared, causing droughts for several years.

This year, as of the 10th, the Jangma rain has lasted 48 days. It has already surpassed the 45 days recorded in 1974, a year with unusually heavy rainfall, and is approaching the 49 days recorded in 2013, the longest Jangma period on record. According to forecasts, it is expected to exceed 50 days, potentially setting a new record for the longest Jangma period. The Jangma accounts for about 30% of the Korean Peninsula's rainfall. While sometimes welcome, excessive rainfall can cause natural disasters such as floods and landslides, creating numerous disaster victims. The amount of rainfall is a problem, but the longer duration is an even bigger issue.

Due to insufficient sunlight, various plants cannot perform photosynthesis and stop growing. Excessive moisture enters cell tissues, causing them to burst as they cannot withstand osmotic pressure. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as "vegetables melting." Sweet summer fruits also become bland as their sugars are diluted by water. Water-sensitive crops like chili peppers and tomatoes often die completely.

The prolonged Jangma period affects autumn and winter as well. The production of highland cabbage sharply decreases and its quality deteriorates, causing cabbage prices to surge during the kimchi-making season. Moreover, kimchi that was carefully stored often spoils before the following spring.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's agricultural product distribution information, as of the 6th, wholesale prices of representative vegetables such as green lettuce, cabbage, and napa cabbage have risen 60-107% compared to a month ago. Although large supermarkets are trying to stabilize retail prices, a sharp increase is inevitable starting this week. The distribution industry, which suffered losses due to COVID-19 in the first half of the year, is also struggling. They had prepared a large stock of vacation goods expecting a scorching summer heatwave announced at the beginning of the year, but these remain as unsold inventory.

So far, the reported casualties from this rain damage include 31 deaths and 11 missing persons. The number of disaster victims approaches 3,500 households and 6,000 people, with facility damages exceeding 13,000 cases and agricultural land damage covering about 20,000 hectares.

Despite this situation, the political sphere has been embroiled in the old Four Major Rivers Project debate. The opposition party claims that the Han River, Geum River, Yeongsan River, and Nakdong River, where the Four Major Rivers Project was carried out during the Lee Myung-bak administration, experienced relatively less flood damage, while the area near the Seomjin River suffered disproportionately. Meanwhile, the ruling party immediately blamed the Four Major Rivers Project for the floods following the collapse of the Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir on the Nakdong River. It is embarrassing to see such accusations repeated when the focus should be on unified efforts for flood recovery support and stabilizing prices to help the common people's economy.

It seems the Joseon Dynasty was no different. After returning to his hometown, Dasan Jeong Yak-yong wrote a poem titled Gu-u (久雨) on the subject of the Jangma in his collected works Yeo-yu-dang Jeon-seo (與猶當全書). The poem expresses the poverty and hardship of common people during the rainy season and his own frustration at being unable to do anything but write. The final lines are particularly moving: "Why should we suffer just because the rain lasts long (久雨何須苦)? Even when the sky clears, I will still sigh alone (晴時也自歎)."

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