Environmental Group: "Toxins from Green Algae Detected in Nakdong River Residents, National Assembly Hearing Needed"

The Nakdong River Network, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, and other organizations under the Nakdong River Algae Disaster Countermeasures Committee have claimed that harmful toxins were detected in residents living near the Nakdong River and called for a national public hearing on the response to algal blooms in the Nakdong River.

The Nakdong River Network and the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, among others, held a press conference demanding a public hearing on the response to the Nakdong River green algae disaster.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

On the 7th, they held a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council and stated, "Among 22 people including fishermen who make their living from the Nakdong River, farmers living nearby, and activists involved in the protection and research of the Nakdong River, toxic cyanobacterial substances were detected in 11 individuals."

According to the committee, from August 20 to September 12, Kim Dongun, a professor of otolaryngology at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Lee Seungjun, a professor of food and nutrition at Pukyong National University, and others conducted a study on 102 residents and field activists living within 2 km of the Nakdong River basin to examine the "effects of airborne algal toxins on the nasal cavity."

The first survey results showed that cyanobacterial genes were found in 22 out of 102 people, and among them, algal toxins were detected in 11 individuals, including 5 fishermen, 1 farmer, 1 resident, 1 professor, and 3 environmental activists.

The committee explained that 8 of these individuals reported symptoms such as runny nose, olfactory disturbances, and skin rashes.

Nakdong River Network and the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, members of the Nakdong River Algal Bloom Disaster Countermeasures Committee, are performing a paper airplane flying performance after a press conference demanding a national hearing on the response to the Nakdong River algal bloom.
Photo by Lee Seryoung

They said, "A medical expert from the University of Miami warned that algal bloom aerosols should be called a 'silent killer,'" and strongly demanded the opening of the Nakdong River weirs to prevent the proliferation of algal blooms.

They continued, "For the past 12 years, we have announced the results of annual surveys on Nakdong River algal toxins and called for investigations and countermeasures, but the Ministry of Environment has overturned its policies every time the administration changed. Now, through a public hearing, we must thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Environment's policies on the Nakdong River algal bloom response, identify the problems, and propose fundamental solutions to the algal bloom issue as demanded by the public."

On this day, environmental groups and others announced that they would launch a petition drive to collect 50,000 signatures for a National Assembly hearing on the response to algal blooms.