Environment Minister Han Hwa-jin praised the function of the four major rivers as an excellent water supply facility. He visited Geumgang Baekjebo located in Buyeo-gun, South Chungcheong Province, on April 13th to inspect the drought response situation. The Ministry of Environment recently announced plans to use 16 weirs in the four major rivers, including the Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River, as water bowls to address droughts in Yeongsan and Seomjin river basins. Minister Han emphasized the necessity of using the weirs to resolve algal blooms and secure water supply in areas affected by drought. He addressed the concerns regarding the negative effects of using the weirs and emphasized their positive function as water supply facilities. Minister Han visited the Boryeong Dam aqueduct site to check the status of facility operation and urged related organizations to utilize the four major river weirs, aqueducts, and agricultural reservoirs located in the Geum River basin to respond to drought.
[세종=뉴스핌] Sanctuary Reporter = Environment Minister Han Hwa-jin said on the 13th, “It is a great facility to see the four rivers.”
This morning, Minister Han visited Geumgang Baekjebo located in Buyeo-gun, South Chungcheong Province and said this.
Previously, on the 3rd, the Ministry of Environment announced a mid- to long-term drought response plan for the Yeongsan and Seomjin river basins, which focused on using 16 weirs in the four major rivers, including the Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River, as water bowls.
◆ Emphasizes the necessity of visiting the site at the request of environmental groups to dismantle the weirs
Then, on the very next day, on the 4th, a plan for the linked operation of dams, weirs, and estuaries, which contained the contents of flexibly adjusting the water level of the weirs according to the weather, was decided at the central council for the linked operation of dams and weirs.
At the meeting, Minister Han reiterated the plan to utilize the weirs of the four major rivers to respond to drought in the Honam region.
| [서울=뉴스핌] Han Hwa-jin Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment, inspects the drought response situation in the Geum River basin at Baekjebo in the Geum River in Buyeo County, South Chungcheong Province on the morning of the 13th and listens to explanations from officials.[사진= 환경부] 2023.04.13 [email protected] |
He said, “The four major river weirs are excellent facilities and should be expanded to fully utilize the positive functions.” He said, “For algal blooms, it is necessary to actively utilize the four river weirs in the direction of resolving algal bloom by increasing the opening of water.”
Regarding the point that this drought countermeasure is in fact overturning the Moon Jae-in administration’s policy of ‘re-naturalization of the four major rivers’, he said, “Weir dismantling requires careful judgment.”
Minister Han said, “Usually, when dismantling a facility, you have to look at two things: whether the facility is safe and whether it has lost its value due to a problem with its usefulness.” It’s a great water bowl, so there’s no problem.”
He continued, “(Seeing the four major rivers) is a container that can secure water, so I think that saying that Gangwon-si just throws away water is the same as asking residents to save water but throwing it away.”
 |
| [서울=뉴스핌] Han Hwa-jin Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment, inspects the drought response situation in the Geum River Basin at Baekje Weir in the Geumgang River in Buyeo County, South Chungcheong Province on the morning of the 13th, and asks the officials to “do our best to overcome the drought in the western part of Chungnam through the operation of dams and weirs.”[사진= 환경부] 2023.04.13 [email protected] |
◆ The government emphasizes the positive function of ‘drought response’ rather than the side effects of ‘intensification of green algae’
In response to the point that ‘the use of weirs in the four major rivers can raise concerns regarding algal blooms’, Minister Han replied, “Algal blooms can be prevented by opening the weirs. The biggest cause of algal blooms is the inflow of pollutants.”
He continued, “There may be some influence from the weir, but we can prevent algal bloom by letting the water flow from the weir.”
Regarding concerns that water supply may be difficult due to the distance from the main stream of the four major rivers and areas affected by drought, he said, “It is important to secure and store water because it can be used in areas where water is scarce by connecting the secured water.” We can do that,” he said.
 |
| [서울=뉴스핌] Han Hwa-jin Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment, inspects the drought response situation in the Geum River Basin at Baekje Weir in the Geumgang River in Buyeo County, South Chungcheong Province on the morning of the 13th, and asks the officials to “do our best to overcome the drought in the western part of Chungnam through the operation of dams and weirs.”[사진= 환경부] 2023.04.13 [email protected] |
At the same time, he explained, “The four major rivers are an important supply facility and water supply facility in terms of water bowls.”
On the same day, Minister Han visited the Boryeong Dam aqueduct site to check the current status of facility operation and asked related organizations, including Korea Water Resources Corporation, to respond to drought by utilizing the four major river weirs, aqueducts, and agricultural reservoirs located in the Geum River basin.
In conclusion, Environment Minister Han Hwa-jin’s visit to the Geumgang Baekjebo showcased the government’s focus on utilizing the weirs of the four major rivers to combat drought in the Honam region. Despite concerns regarding the side effects of intensifying green algae, Minister Han emphasized the positive function of weirs in drought response and stressed the importance of securing and storing water. While some argue that the government’s plans contradict the policy of re-naturalization of the four major rivers, Minister Han reassured that careful judgment is required before any dismantling of facilities. Ultimately, the government’s approach to drought response highlights the need for a balancing act between environmental concerns and practical solutions.