North Korea once again releases water from a dam upstream of a river flowing into South Korea without any teaser. This has caused severe damage to the South Korean side in the past.

South Korea experienced heavy rains from the middle of last week to the 20th, mainly in the central and metropolitan areas, causing flooding and landslides, resulting in extensive damage with many dead and missing.
North Korea released water from the Hwanggang Dam upstream of the Imjin River without prior notice to the South. The Imjin River is a river that flows from North Korea to South Korea, and North Korea is upstream of the dam.
If the dam is discharged, it will have a large impact on the water level of the Gunnam Dam in South Korea downstream. In the past, human casualties have occurred frequently, so South Korea has notified North Korea in advance before discharging water from the dam.
Heavy rains from the 16th caused a road retaining wall to collapse in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, near Seoul, causing a traffic jam for cars caught in the road.
One person died in a traffic accident, and a landslide occurred in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, in the south, entrapping many people. According to South Korean media, 19 people were killed in the heavy rains.
The heavy rains caused serious damage in South Korea, but it is believed that a significant amount of rain also fell in North Korea. On the 22nd, the Ministry of Unification of South Korea announced that North Korea had sent a 18th
The Ministry of Unification last month asked North Korea to open the Hwanggang Dam to prevent flood damage in the border area between North and South Korea during the rainy season.
Although relations between the North and South Koreans are currently at a low ebb, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification Jang Yoon Jeong said, "Joint response to natural disasters is a humanitarian issue.
"It's a matter of time before we can get through to the North," he said. Since North Korea unilaterally cut off the inter-Korean communication channel in April 2023, it has not responded to South Korea's requests for phone calls. Yonhap News Agency responded to Chang's request by saying,
At the time, he pointed out that "the Ministry of Unification sent a message to North Korea by holding a press conference for the media." Prior to the release, there was no prior notice from North Korea, and the South Korean side
In September 2009, North Korea released water from the Hwanggang Dam without prior notice, resulting in an accident in which six people, including a South Korean camper, were killed downstream of the Imjin River on the South Korean side.
Following the accident, the two Koreas once agreed to give advance notice before releasing water from the dam. However, after giving advance notice twice in 2010 and once in 2013, North Korea has repeatedly discharged water from the dam without advance notice, violating the agreement.
In May 2016, over 100 fishermen from Paju city, close to North Korea, suffered damage when their fishing gear was washed away by the release of water. In August 2020, North Korea also released water from the dam without prior notice.
The floodgates were opened, causing the water level downstream on the South Korean side to rise sharply. Local residents were forced to evacuate. The Minister of Unification at the time expressed regret and said, "No matter how severe the political and military situation between the North and South, we must take humanitarian measures.
"The two Koreas need to immediately resume communication in areas that directly affect the safety of residents in the area and in the border areas between North and South Korea," he said.
The area near the military demarcation line that separates South and North Korea on the Korean Peninsula is home to a number of remains from the Korean War (1950-53) and beyond.
Many mines were buried during the ceasefire, and a large number of mines are said to still be buried in the vicinity. Last year, under the orders of General Secretary Kim Jung Eun, North Korea also carried out a landmine drill near the military demarcation line.
The number of mines buried in the area north of the DMZ is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. The mines are packed in wooden boxes and disguised as leaves, making them difficult to spot.
Some of these mines are harder to detonate, and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff and South Korean media refer to them as "leaf mines." Last year, the news agency Yonhap News reported that the explosives used in "leaf mines" were
The weight of the mine is about 40 grams, and it is explained that its power is somewhere between that of a typical anti-personnel mine (about 20 grams) and a wooden box mine (about 70 grams). The Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo also reported that the size of the mine was measured using a smartphone.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said last month that "some of the areas where the North Korean military has buried mines are connected to the Imjin River, the Bukhan River, and other rivers shared by North and South Korea, as well as the Han River estuary."
"If heavy rain occurs, there is a risk that landmines in the North will be washed away and flow into areas on the South Korean side," he said. He also said that if any suspicious objects are found in these areas, military forces and
According to the Ministry of Unification, North Korea is believed to have discharged water from the dam not only on the 18th of this month, but also on June 25th.
However, North Korea appears to have released the water without any prior notice. According to Yonhap News, the South Korean Ministry of Environment said, "We are monitoring the water level of the Imjin River as the water level is expected to rise due to the release of water from the Hwanggang Dam.
Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency said, "Unlike the previous administration of President Yoon Seok-yeol, the Ministry of Unification has not expressed regret and has not responded to the unannounced dummy incident.
He pointed out that the government did not use the expression "unauthorized release" to describe the release of the whales.