[2024 National Audit] Environment and Labor Committee, Climate Response Dam Construction Controversy... "Second Four Major Rivers Project" vs "Flood Defense"

Opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee intensely questioned the government's 14 climate response dam projects on the 8th. They raised concerns that the costly flood control projects might be a "second Four Major Rivers Project."

Lee Yong-woo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out at the Ministry of Environment audit held at the National Assembly main building in Yeouido, Seoul, saying, "(The Yoon Seok-yeol administration) is packaging 14 unnecessary dams as climate response dams and initiating civil engineering construction in the name of the environment," and added, "There is a need for measures such as opening the Four Major Rivers weirs and fundamentally dismantling them."

Lee Hak-young, also from the same party, said regarding dam construction, "It is basically a 'bottom-up' approach where construction is done if residents request it," and added, "Suddenly announcing 14 dams and starting residents' briefings leaves the public confused, and I myself do not understand it." He then questioned, "(There are many questions about) why the government is increasing medical school admissions by 2,000, so why is the climate response dam project specifically 14 dams?"

On the 7th, at the Environment and Labor Committee plenary meeting held in the National Assembly, Chairman Park Jeong is striking the gavel. Ruling party lawmakers and government officials were absent from the meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Jung Hye-kyung, a member of the Progressive Party, criticized, "These dams only fill the pockets of construction enthusiasts, similar to the Lee Myung-bak administration's Four Major Rivers Project," and pointed out, "Compared to the global trend of dismantling 101 dams in 2020 and 487 dams in 2023, South Korea is moving backward."

Earlier, Kim Wan-seop, Minister of Environment and former Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance, announced 14 candidate sites for climate response dams at the Government Seoul Office in July. Minister Kim explained that through dam construction, flood defense capabilities would be secured, and 250 million tons of water usable by approximately 2.2 million citizens could be secured. He stated that "(Regarding dam construction) no orders were received from anywhere, and it was judged necessary after internal discussions within the Ministry of Environment."

At the audit session that day, a sticker with the phrase "Climate Destroyer Yoon Seok-yeol" attached to Jung's laptop caused controversy. Kim So-hee, a member of the People Power Party, said, "It is inappropriate to conduct the audit in a partisan manner," and requested the removal of the sticker with the phrase. In response, Jung countered, "It is a lawmaker's expression of opinion," leading to a tense exchange.