Hapcheon County Council Issues Statement Urging Compensation for Dam Flood Control Failure Damages

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On the 11th, the Hapcheon County Council issued a statement urging measures for damage control and compensation following the failure to regulate dam discharge volumes. (Photo by Hapcheon County)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] On the afternoon of the 11th, the Hapcheon County Council in Gyeongnam announced a “Statement Urging Damage Countermeasures and Compensation Due to the Failure of Hapcheon Dam’s Flood Control Function” in front of the Korea Water Resources Corporation Hapcheon Dam Management Office.

The primary purpose of Hapcheon Dam is flood control.

The recent flood damage occurred because, despite forecasts on August 4 predicting heavy rain in the southern region, the reservoir level of Hapcheon Dam was maintained at 92.6% without adjustment. It was only on the 8th, when the heavy rain poured down, that all sluice gates were opened, releasing 2,700 tons of water per second, causing concentrated damage in the lower Hwanggang River area.

In particular, the Korea Water Resources Corporation, which has continuously maintained the reservoir level at 86.2% over the past two years, took no significant measures even during the prolonged rainy season of about a month. This has led residents to doubt whether the Ministry of Environment’s currently promoted “Nakdong River Basin Integrated Water Management Plan” is being prepared for concrete implementation.

The County Council expressed strong regret toward the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Water Resources Corporation, which effectively manage Hapcheon Dam.

They also demanded that “all compensation measures for the failure of water management and control at Hapcheon Dam be prepared and full compensation for damages be made as soon as possible,” that “this disaster, caused by the failure of water management policy decisions by the Ministry of Environment and Korea Water Resources Corporation, be recognized as a man-made disaster and Hapcheon County be declared a special disaster area,” and that “the plan to construct the Hwanggang water intake facility under the Nakdong River Basin Integrated Water Management Plan, which forces unilateral sacrifice on Hapcheon County, be completely scrapped and all actions threatening Hapcheon County be immediately stopped.”

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