By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff reporter
North Korea informed Seoul Thursday of the possible plan to release water downstream of the Imjin River running into the South, the second notice in advance following the earlier notice made on Sunday.
Earlier, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs confirmed that North Korea released 1,600 tons of water per second from the Hwanggang Dam in the North from Wednesday evening.
After the North opened the sluice gates, the water level downstream of the Imjin River, near the border rose by 33 centimeters per hour.
A government official said the current level of water discharged from the North is manageable, explaining that flood control reservoir in Gunnam Dam in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province can store up to 11,300 tons of water per second to discharge into other areas.
After the second notice, 13-member staff working at the water reservoir began working alternate day and night shifts to monitor the water levels and take necessary measures.
North Korea released 40 million tons of water last August without prior notice, causing six South Koreans who were camping near the border to be killed when water levels in the Imjin River suddenly rose.
After the incident, South Korean officials asked their North Korean counterparts to give prior warning when it plans to discharge water, which the North agreed to do.