Minister Kim Seong-hwan recently met with environmental groups at the Sejong Dam site in the Geum River basin to discuss measures for the re-naturalization of the four major rivers, drawing attention to the effectiveness of the four major rivers project and future policy directions.
According to the Ministry of Environment on the 26th, Minister Kim said on the 24th, "Rivers must flow," and noted, "We will push for practical re-naturalization beyond past controversies." Observations suggest that the Ministry of Environment will actively promote the re-naturalization of the four major rivers, as pledged by President Lee Jae-myung during the presidential campaign.
Re-naturalization refers to policies aimed at dismantling or opening dams installed during the four major rivers project to restore the flow and natural character of the rivers. While the goal is ecosystem restoration and water quality improvement, debates continue regarding the balance with responses to climate crises such as floods and droughts.
Flood damage caused by heavy rains this summer has become a new point of contention in discussions on re-naturalization. Areas that were developed, such as Daejeon, which increased the main stream and water reservoir of the four major rivers, faced no significant damage, while non-developed sections, including tributaries and streams, experienced flooding. Particularly, as climate change has worsened spring and autumn droughts on the Korean Peninsula, there are opinions stating that sufficient water reservoir must be secured for effective water resource management.
Voices advocating careful consideration of re-naturalization in the rapidly changing climate are clashing with opposing views that claim the four major rivers do not have a significant effectiveness in responding to climate change.
◇ Experts say, 'Dams play a reservoir role during droughts; dismantling must be approached cautiously.'
Experts emphasize the role of dams during droughts, suggesting that dismantling them must be approached with caution.
Yoo Cheol-sang, president of the Korean Water Resources Association (Professor at Korea University’s Department of Architecture and Environmental Engineering), stated, "Dams have more value during droughts than during floods," and expressed concern that hastily dismantling dams could reduce flood response capabilities and make them more vulnerable to droughts.
Kwon Hyun-han, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Sejong University, stated, "Dredging during the four major rivers project effectively increased the water reservoir and helped prevent floods," adding, "It is necessary to maintain embankments in tributaries and streams to prevent flooding." Regarding dams, he noted, "While there are limits to flood prevention effectiveness, it is worth examining whether simply dismantling already installed structures will solve the problem," and mentioned that if the goal is to improve water quality, eliminating pollution sources should take precedence over dismantling dams.
Lee Jeong-il, a professor at the National Disaster Safety Education Institute, emphasized that rather than rushing into re-naturalization, it is essential to comprehensively consider regional characteristics, environmental issues, and safety before setting policy directions through ample discussions.
◇ The Ministry of Environment states, 'Dams that block water flow can actually exacerbate flood damage.'
There are also voices arguing that the four major rivers project has not been effective in addressing the climate crisis, urging for hastened re-naturalization.
Baek Gyeong-oh, a professor at HanKyung University’s Department of Civil Safety and Environmental Engineering, stated, "The four major rivers region was well managed even before the four major rivers project, so there was no flood damage," and pointed out that it is crucial to maintain embankments and drainage systems in response to climate change, which is separate from the four major rivers issue.
Professor Baek added, "While dams serve as large water reservoirs, the dams in the four major rivers are too small to fulfill that role. Most are already fully opened, rendering them ineffective." He also mentioned that past reports from the Ministry of Environment and the Board of Audit and Inspection indicated that the four major rivers project has not been effective in responding to the climate crisis.
The Ministry of Environment also holds the position that the structures of the four major rivers are not functioning as a means to respond to the climate crisis. A Ministry official noted, "During flood periods, dams can actually raise water levels by blocking fast currents, aggravating flood damage," and added, "While dams may be utilized during droughts, there have been hardly any practical cases due to concerns over water quality deterioration." The official stated, "We will determine policy directions after evaluating various functions and roles from multiple perspectives."
Minister Kim also met with reporters on the 25th and stated, "We have not yet decided whether to dismantle or keep the dams in the four major rivers," adding that the claim that only the areas where the four major rivers project was conducted experience less flood damage is ideologically driven.