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🇰🇷 South Korea /Environment & Climate

Fields crack as South Korea's Yeongnam region suffers severe drought

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Farmers in the Yeongnam region of South Korea are facing severe drought conditions, with rice paddies cracking and crops withering.
  • Extreme heat and lack of rainfall have depleted water sources like streams, reservoirs, and even distant rivers.
  • Local authorities are struggling to provide sufficient water, and the situation threatens the entire agricultural season.

The Yeongnam region of South Korea is grappling with an intense drought and extreme heatwave, leaving rice paddies cracked and crops severely damaged. Farmers are desperately searching for water, transporting it from mountain streams, neighboring village reservoirs, and any available creeks, only to find it quickly evaporates from the parched land.

One farmer in Ulsan's Samdong-myeon described his 50-majigi (approximately 16.5 acres) of rice fields as "completely ruined." He spent over three hours hauling water with a truck, pump, and water tanks, but the meager amount he could collect was insufficient to combat the relentless dryness. The ground in his fields has split open so wide that "two fingers could fit" into the cracks, and the rice stalks are yellowing and withering from the tips.

It's so dry, it feels like it could catch fire. It should be filling with water now to form grains, but look at it all wilting. It's hopeless.

— Byun Jae-seokA 70-year-old rice farmer in Ulsan's Samdong-myeon, describing the severe drought conditions in his fields.

Similar scenes are unfolding across the region. In Ulsan's Samnam-myeon, another farmer lamented that the "ground is so hard, the land won't even yield." He hasn't seen rain since transplanting the rice seedlings, highlighting the prolonged dry spell. Residents are shouting at the sky in frustration, questioning the point of the sparse raindrops that briefly appeared, as they are insufficient to sustain their crops.

The ground is so hard, the land won't even yield. I can't even remember the last time it rained since I planted the seedlings.

— Jang Byung-hwanA farmer in Ulsan's Samnam-myeon, expressing frustration over the hardened soil and lack of rain.

The situation is dire, with cornfields scorched and perilla fields failing to sprout even with morning and evening watering. Sweet potato leaves and stems are also showing signs of heat damage. Ulsan has recorded only 28mm of rainfall in the past month, a mere 10% of the average for the same period last year. The broader Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas are experiencing similar conditions, with only 7% of the average rainfall.

Local governments are deploying water trucks and pumps, but these efforts are proving inadequate. Reservoirs and streams are drying up, forcing farmers to travel over an hour to find water. The demand for water trucks is overwhelming, making it difficult to guarantee delivery schedules. Even household water supply is becoming a concern, with the Hoya Dam's usable storage rate dropping significantly. The situation is critical, with experts warning that the next ten days will determine the fate of the current agricultural season.

What's the point of such a tiny bit of rain?

— Kim Jeong-yeonAn 82-year-old resident, reacting to a brief, insufficient sprinkle of rain.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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