Environment ministry clarifies river maintenance roles and extends repair deadlines

The Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment said Friday it revised regulations to clarify responsibility for river maintenance and safety inspections by explicitly defining the entities tasked with these duties.

The amendment was driven by the need to clearly identify responsible parties, as river maintenance work had been delegated to multiple agencies including regional environmental office heads, local government chiefs, and the Korea Water Resources Corporation, creating ambiguity in rule application.

"The revision aims to improve and supplement minor shortcomings revealed in the operation of the current system by specifying the transferees or trustees as the 'maintenance entity' when authority is delegated," the ministry stated in the reasoning for the amendment.

Under the new framework, the term 'river administrator' is replaced with 'maintenance entity' to specifically encompass those holding delegated authority. These entities must now establish annual maintenance plans by December 31 and report them to the Minister of Climate Energy and Environment, or to local governors who then report to the minister.

A key adjustment extends the deadline for repairing damage or defects occurring during the flood season. Previously required to be completed by the end of the calendar year, repairs may now continue until the start of the following year's flood season to accommodate budget securing procedures. If immediate completion proves impossible, the responsible entity must implement necessary safety measures to prevent further damage in the interim.

The revision also strengthens safety inspection protocols by allowing maintenance entities to involve relevant experts in joint inspections. When inspection scopes, timing, or items overlap with requirements under other laws, entities are now permitted to conduct them concurrently and submit integrated reports.

Additionally, the new framework enables entities overseeing both national and local rivers to establish unified disaster countermeasures rather than maintaining separate plans. Local rivers are now explicitly included under the refined regulations to ensure consistent application across all waterways managed by provincial and municipal authorities.

The partial amendment to the Rules on River Maintenance and Safety Inspections was promulgated and took effect on July 31, 2026.