Yangyang County Signs Joint Implementation Agreement with Ministry of Environment and SK hynix for Restoration of Namdaecheon Aquatic Ecosystem

Joint Implementation Agreement Signed with Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, SK hynix, and Others
Supporting Salmon Migration and Strengthening the "Ecological City Yangyang" Brand through Improvement of Downstream Weirs in Namdaecheon

Yangyang County in Gangwon Province has embarked on full-scale collaboration with the government and private companies to restore the health of the aquatic ecosystem in Namdaecheon and to implement "Water Positive" activities—voluntary corporate initiatives for water restoration.

Yangyang County signed a joint implementation agreement on the 7th at the SK hynix Icheon campus with the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, SK hynix, Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Korea Environment Corporation for "Restoration of the Aquatic Ecosystem Continuity of Yangyang Namdaecheon and Practicing Water Positive." Provided by Yangyang County

On May 7, Yangyang County announced that it had signed a joint implementation agreement for "Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystem Connectivity in Yangyang Namdaecheon and Practice of Water Positive" together with the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, SK hynix, Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Korea Environment Corporation at the SK hynix Icheon campus.

The core of this agreement is to restore the connectivity of the aquatic ecosystem in the lower reaches of Yangyang Namdaecheon, which has been interrupted by weirs and other barriers. Concerns about ecological disruption have been continuously raised, as fish such as salmon migrating upstream during spawning season have been hindered, leading to fish deaths in the lower Namdaecheon.

Under the agreement, the participating institutions will jointly conduct a comprehensive survey of the Namdaecheon aquatic ecosystem, develop optimal management plans for the removal and improvement of the downstream weir, and carry out design and construction. Notably, even after project completion, continuous maintenance will be carried out through 2037 to nurture Namdaecheon into a healthy ecological river.

In this project, Yangyang County, together with Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, will be responsible for administrative support for permits and maintenance of facilities. SK hynix will share the project costs and fulfill its corporate social responsibility (CSR), while the Ministry of Environment and Korea Water Resources Corporation will introduce a systematic system to assess and certify water restoration volumes.

The county expects that this project will not only restore the environment, but also support the return of salmon—an iconic symbol of Yangyang—and revive the river ecosystem, thus elevating its status as a "global ecological tourism hub."

An official from Yangyang County commented, "We are honored to restore the ecological value of Namdaecheon in partnership with Korea's leading companies and government agencies. We believe this Water Positive cooperation will not only revitalize the river's life force, but also provide a more pleasant and beautiful waterfront space for local residents."

Meanwhile, "Water Positive" is a sustainable water management concept in which companies return more water to nature than they use. The Namdaecheon case is expected to become a national best practice for aquatic ecosystem restoration through collaboration between local governments and corporations.

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