Pohang City and Korea Water Resources Corporation Collaborate to Expedite Construction of Hangsa Dam

Regional and Social Geography, Flood Control Measures and Retention Facility Construction

Rational Use and Management of Water Resources ... Strengthening Cooperation Systems

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dong-guk Lee] Pohang City and K-water (Korea Water Resources Corporation) have joined hands to establish an organic cooperation system for the prompt promotion of Hangsa Dam construction.

On the 26th, Pohang City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with K-water at the city hall's medium conference room to expedite the construction of Hangsa Dam and agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation for smooth work in the water resources sector.

January 26, Pohang City and K-water Join Hands to Expedite the Construction of Hangsa Dam. (From left: Baek In-gyu, Chairperson of the City Council; Lee Kang-deok, Mayor; Jeong Gyeong-yoon, Vice President of K-water; Kim Byung-wook, Member of the National Assembly)

At the signing ceremony attended by Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok, K-water Vice President Jeong Gyeong-yoon, National Assembly member Kim Byung-wook, Pohang City Council Chairman Baek In-gyu, Nakdong River Basin Headquarters Director Cha Jong-myeong, and other officials, both organizations recognized the necessity of mutual cooperation in the investigation, planning, design, construction, and management for the rational use, development, and management of water resources in the Hangsa Dam, Naengcheon, and Singwangcheon basins, and discussed ways to ensure smooth work execution.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “To protect the precious lives and property of citizens, flood control measures through dam construction with flood regulation functions are essential,” adding, “Let us work together to prepare customized flood control measures considering regional and social geography and to establish retention facilities to protect water resources and prevent damage to citizens' lives and property.”

In response, Vice President Jeong Gyeong-yoon stated, “In the era of climate crisis, innovative water disaster measures based on science and technology are necessary for coexistence between people and nature,” and added, “Starting with this MOU signing ceremony, we will build an organic cooperation system with Pohang City and do our best for the safety of citizens.”

Hangsa Dam is planned to be constructed in the Hangsa-ri area of Ocheon-eup, Nam-gu, Pohang City, with a height of 50 meters, a length of 140 meters, and a storage capacity of 4.76 million tons. Since February this year, feasibility studies for administrative procedures such as reflecting it in the river basin water resource management plan, strategic environmental impact assessment, and establishment and announcement of the basic plan have been conducted. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2029.

Pohang City has been striving for the construction of Hangsa Dam since 2016.

As part of the ‘Dam Hope Site Application System,’ the city applied for the construction of Hangsa Dam, which was being promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. However, after the Pohang earthquake occurred in November 2017 and the national water management unification policy in 2018 transferred the work to the Ministry of Environment, the promotion of small-scale dam construction was delayed.

Accordingly, since 2019, the city has repeatedly visited central government ministries to explain the necessity of the project and urged the promotion of the project during on-site visits by the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Strategy and Finance following Typhoon ‘Hinnamnor’ in September.

In October, after strenuous efforts including revising and resubmitting the project plan to the Ministry of Environment to change the purpose from both water supply and flood control to flood control (flood regulation) only, the project gained momentum by being exempted from the preliminary feasibility study at the 7th Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in 2022 and securing 1.98 billion KRW in national funds for feasibility study costs in 2023.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “Once Hangsa Dam construction is completed, it will perform both flood preparedness and drought response functions, dramatically enhancing Pohang’s flood control capabilities,” and added, “We will do our best to protect the precious lives and property of citizens from disasters and create a safe Pohang.”