Jeonnam Council Member Shin Seungcheol Calls for Stronger Drought Response as Reservoir Storage Drops to 60%

Water Shortage Worsens for Island Upland Crops
Urgent Call for Quick Securing of Budget for Groundwater Well Installation

Shin Seungcheol, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Council's Agriculture and Fisheries Committee (Democratic Party of Korea, Yeongam 1), pointed out during a report on the operations of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Food that the provincial reservoir storage rate remains at around 60%, with some areas dropping to as low as 20-40%. He called for a faster and more systematic drought response at the provincial level.

Shin stated, "There is a discrepancy between the actual situation on the ground and the reported figures, as some reservoirs in the province are recorded at lower levels than they actually are. In particular, since small reservoirs are already pumping water through groundwater wells or water tanks, it is urgent to strengthen on-site inspections and respond swiftly."

He continued, "Yeongam has relatively well-developed irrigation facilities, so its reservoir storage rate reaches 80%. However, in island regions, where it hasn't rained and only water is being used, the impact is severe." He called for expanded proactive support for groundwater wells in island regions and upland crop cultivation areas.

Park Hyunsik, Director of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, said, "Currently, more than 50 out of approximately 3,200 reservoirs in the province are identified as areas at risk of water shortage. We will manage priority areas so that over 4,000 tons of water can be pumped daily."

He also responded, "There is high demand for the installation of groundwater wells in upland crop and rain-fed paddy areas, so we have been continuously making verbal and written requests to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and we will take action as soon as we secure the necessary budget."

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