North Korea's discharge of water from a dam into the Imjin River that flows through the inter-Korean border swept away a riverside camping site early Sunday morning, killing three people and leaving three others missing. This tragic incident might have been prevented if the North had given prior notice of the release from its Hwanggang Dam to the South. Investigations are under way to determine the reasons behind the unexpected act.
Questions are being raised over whether Pyongyang accidentally released an estimated 40 million tons of water, or did so intentionally to stage an ``attack'' on the South. The Seoul government was trying to rule out the possibility of the use of water as a means of provocation. But on Monday, it lodged a protest with the North over the unannounced discharge.
First, North Korea must provide a clear explanation to the South as well as promise to avoid a recurrence. This is the first time that a sudden discharge has claimed the lives of South Koreans, although Pyongyang has released dam water five times into the river, causing damage to fish farms. Military and security officials are on alert as the incident came at a time when the Kim Jong-il regime was again stepping up its nuclear brinkmanship after weeks of conciliatory gestures.
Last Friday, the North's official news agency KCNA reported that it has successfully conducted a uranium enrichment experiment, adding that it was weaponizing extracted plutonium. The report detailed a letter sent by Pyongyang's top U.N. envoy to the head of the U.N. Security Council in apparent protest against international sanctions against the North's long-range missile launch and second nuclear test.
The Kim regime might have become impatient with the Unites States and South Korea, which are reluctant to accept the North's offer to hold direct dialogue instead of the six-nation denuclearization talks. The water discharge came at a delicate moment, leaving some hardliners to think that it was an act intended to express dissatisfaction. We hope that such a wild guess is groundless. And the incident should not develop into renewed friction between the two Koreas. We urge the North to give prior notice to the South without fail before releasing water.
It is also imperative for the South to step up efforts to set up a tighter monitoring system to avoid further damage. It was regrettable that an automatic flood warning system did not work even when the water level surged to a maximum 4.6 meters from Saturday's level of 2.3 meters. A military unit guarding the area did not immediately report the flood water to other units or the local authorities.
The South is building a small dam on the river to counter the North's potential water attack. But it cannot match the North's large dam that can hold 300 to 400 million tons of water. Thus, it is urgent to take more comprehensive measures to safeguard frontline areas from the potential threats. It is also important for Seoul to sign a treaty with Pyongyang to jointly manage rivers flowing through border areas.