Gyeongnam City and County Council Chairpersons Association Urges Board of Audit and Inspection to Investigate 'Hapcheon Dam Water Bomb' Through a Resolution Statement

Proposal by Bae Mong-hee, Chairman of Hapcheon County Council, at the 223rd Regular Meeting

The 2020 Gyeongnam City and County Council Chairpersons' Association regular meeting is in progress. (Photo by Hapcheon-gun)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] On the 14th, a resolution urging compensation for flood damage caused by the Hapcheon Dam discharge in August and an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection was officially adopted in the name of the Chairpersons' Council held at Changwon City Council by 18 city and county councils in Gyeongnam Province. The resolution was proposed by Bae Mong-hee, chairman of the Hapcheon County Council.

The resolution pointed out, "The Dam Management Investigation Committee, which was officially launched on September 18, more than a month after the damage occurred, claims to ensure objectivity and independence in selecting members, but fundamentally blocks the selection of members for expressing the opinions of flood-affected residents."

It continued, "The primary task of the Dam Management Investigation Committee is to identify the cause of the flood and establish practical and objective compensation standards for the victims, but the Ministry of Environment is mocking local residents again by saying that the committee does not decide on compensation or damages."

It urged, "The Ministry of Environment should completely suspend the Dam Management Investigation Committee activities, which are nothing more than a public opinion pacification tool, apologize to the victims, and compensate the full amount of the damage." It also demanded the National Assembly conduct a state audit and the Board of Audit and Inspection carry out an investigation to clarify responsibility, and immediately establish a flood damage compensation task force directly under the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, on August 5, the Hapcheon Dam was discharging 120 tons per second, but on the afternoon of the 8th, it discharged more than 20 times that amount, 2,700 tons per second, causing downstream villages to be flooded in an instant.

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