Environment ministry convenes emergency drought meeting for southern region

The climate, energy and environment ministry convened an emergency interagency meeting July 31 at the Han River Flood Control Office to coordinate drought response measures for South Korea's southern region. Minister Kim Sung-hwan chaired the session with officials from the Korea Meteorological Administration, K-water and local governments including Daegu and North Gyeongsang.

The gathering was triggered by data showing one-month rainfall in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang area reached only 70.8 percent of normal levels as of July 27. Storage rates at major dams have fallen sharply, with Unmun Dam entering the serious drought stage while Miryang Dam and Seomjingang Dam recorded levels of 34.4 percent and 26.6 percent respectively.

Officials confirmed that reducing river maintenance flow and drawing alternative sources from the Nakdong and Geumho rivers has prevented supply gaps so far at Unmun Dam, which hit the serious stage on July 15. Should the dry spell continue, the group will consider operating the Geumho River aqueduct to ensure stability. Discussions also covered Miryang and Seomjingang dams, focusing on substituting water sources or reducing agricultural allocations slightly without disrupting farming.

K-water stated it plans to maintain tight water rationing and reserve accumulation at these facilities until the drought situation resolves.

"We will solidify the cooperation system among related agencies through this meeting and make every effort to prepare for drought in the southern region through preemptive response," Kim said. "In particular, we will continuously monitor the status of major dams and ensure no disruptions occur in water supply until the drought eases."