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🇰🇷 South Korea /Environment & Climate

South Korea to proceed with 5 controversial 'climate dams' despite local opposition

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • South Korea's Ministry of Environment will proceed with building five of the 14 "climate response dams" announced by the previous administration.
  • The decision faces opposition from local residents and environmental groups who argue the dams are unnecessary and were poorly planned.
  • The government states the dams will provide water and flood control, but critics question the water demand projections and lack of public consensus.

Despite widespread local opposition and environmental concerns, South Korea's Ministry of Environment has decided to proceed with the construction of five "climate response dams" that were controversially announced by the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The decision continues a policy that has sparked protests and criticism from residents and environmental organizations.

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration's poorly planned policy has been inherited. We demand the faulty dam construction policy be scrapped and water policies suitable for the climate crisis era be reestablished.

— Local residents and environmental groupsCriticizing the government's decision to proceed with the dams.

The five dams slated for construction include the Jicheon Dam in Cheongyang and Buyeo (59 million tons capacity), Amicheon Dam in Yeoncheon (45 million tons), Byeongyeongcheon Dam in Gangjin (1.2 million tons), Hoeyagang Dam in Ulsan (22 million tons), and Gohyeoncheon Dam in Geoje (0.8 million tons). The government had previously canceled plans for seven other dams and decided to pursue alternative solutions for two more, aiming to reduce the overall project cost.

The Jicheon Dam, in particular, has faced significant backlash. Initially proposed as a flood control measure, it was later reclassified as a multipurpose dam to supply water for the Chungcheong region's "mega-project." The Ministry of Environment claims it will supply 180,000 tons of water daily and defend against 100-year floods. However, opponents argue that the dam's water supply capacity far exceeds the needs of Cheongyang County's population and that the decision was made through a non-transparent public deliberation process without resident consent. This is not the first time the Jicheon Dam has been proposed; previous attempts in 1991, 1999, and 2012 were abandoned due to public opposition.

Is it reasonable to build a dam that can supply water for 380,000 people in Cheongyang County, which has a population of less than 30,000, without resident consent?

— Kim Myung-sook, co-chair of the Jicheon Dam Opposition CommitteeQuestioning the necessity and public support for the Jicheon Dam.

Environmental groups like the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement have strongly criticized the government's decision. They argue that proceeding with dam construction based on unconfirmed water demand for the Chungcheong mega-project is a misstep. The groups are calling for a complete cancellation of the 14-dam plan and a reevaluation of water management policies to align with the climate crisis, emphasizing the need for comprehensive plans that include water usage and management strategies rather than simply building more dams.

The Chungcheong mega-project has not yet finalized its business plan, including water demand, yet proceeding with dam construction based on this project is a significant error in sequence.

— Environmental MovementStatement from the Environmental Movement criticizing the government's decision.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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