The North Hwanggang Dam Stir
Government decided to adopt the matter of Hwanggang Dam, which is identified as North Korea building up upper stream of Imjin River (reported in the newspaper on 10th A1.3 pages), as formal agenda at the third actual council for preventing flood in river Imjin (CPFRI) that is supposed to be held in January next year.
Minister of construction and transportation, Im In-taek had a press conference after exclusive report in the newspaper regarding building of Hwanggang Dam on 10th, saying, We came to know of it through NIS and identification regarding pond age of dam or method of construction is going on.
Minister Im added, We demanded information regarding it from the North at the second CPFRI that was held in Pyongyang in October end, however, we couldnt get the reply. We plan to secure concrete information by selecting it as formal agenda at the third CPFRI which is supposed to be held in coming January next year.
He insisted, in connection with the suspicion that government has concealed the issue of Hwanggang Dam, saying, We had a plan to announce it after arranging comprehensive measures grasping concrete pond age of dam, scale, situation of construction, etc and added It is not delaying the announcement on purpose.
However, it is known that government didnt reveal any information regarding Hwanggang Dam at the time of the third CPFRI causing big suspicion.
MOCT explained that it is difficult to grasp exact situation as Korean government is finding hard to collect evidence like satellite photo because the construction of dam is in the beginning stage.
Minister Im said, regarding countermeasures for Hwanggang Dam, Countermeasures of government should be established carefully considering Norths stand point. and added Currently, a working-level talk with related ministries including defense ministry is underway.
On the other hand, inhabitants of Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, pressed government to take countermeasures, showing uneasiness regarding the fact that the North is building Hwanggang Dam on Imjin Rivers up stream.
Jae-Seong Hwang jsonhng@donga.com
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