ED Worst drought

Fire trucks are mobilized to transport water from fire hydrants in nearby counties and cities to water treatment facilities in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Monday. Yonhap

The eastern coastal city of Gangneung, located in Gangwon Province, is grappling with harsh realities resulting from climate change. Once celebrated as an Olympic host city, Gangneung now faces an unprecedented drought, triggered by scant rainfall this year.

On Sunday, the city was officially declared a disaster area after the water storage rate at Obong Reservoir — the primary source of domestic water for 53,000 households — plummeted to just 14 percent. The reservoir supplies 87 percent of the city’s household water. In response, local authorities have implemented strict water supply measures.

Gangneung has become the latest victim of extreme weather. While many counties across Gangwon Province have been inundated by torrential rain and flash floods this summer, Gangneung has suffered the opposite: a prolonged and severe drought.

With the water supply dwindling, concerns over drinking water shortages are mounting among residents. To conserve water, some restaurant owners have resorted to using disposable plastic dishes to avoid washing, while others are contemplating temporarily closing their businesses until the crisis subsides. Similarly, gas stations offering automated or self-service car washes are considering suspending operations.

In a desperate bid to mitigate the shortage, fire trucks have been mobilized to transport water from fire hydrants in nearby counties and cities to Gangneung’s water treatment facilities. On Sunday alone, 2,500 tons of water were delivered — a fraction of the 80,000 tons needed daily. Water deliveries are expected to continue on Monday.

The water crisis in Gangneung highlights the increasingly erratic nature of climate change. Droughts and downpours — two opposite weather extremes — are now striking simultaneously across the country. Some regions are battling floods, while others, like Gangneung, face critical water shortages. Even within Gangwon Province, the contrast is stark: The border counties of Cheorwon and Hwacheon were battered by heavy rainfall, peaking at 100 millimeters per hour, while Gangneung received just 404.2 mm of rain this year — nearly half the average annual rainfall.

Today, the victim is Gangneung, but experts warn that drought-driven water shortages could strike anywhere in the country. This growing unpredictability underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive national strategy to tackle both floods and droughts simultaneously.

To cope with the increasing severity of extreme weather events, the Lee Jae Myung administration must rethink the nation's water management system. Korea needs effective, tailored solutions to store, recycle and distribute water more efficiently, backed by robust infrastructure and long-term planning.

Unfortunately, partisan politics remain a major obstacle to effective water management. During his presidential campaign, Lee pledged to reverse the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, a large-scale water management initiative carried out under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration (2008-13). The project targeted the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan Rivers to mitigate flood and drought risks.

As president, Lee has since vowed to dismantle the weirs constructed under the project, arguing that they harmed the environment. He also pledged to ban the construction of new dams for similar reasons. However, critics warn that without proper infrastructure, Korea could be left defenseless in the face of worsening climate disasters.

The Four Rivers Project has long been a political flashpoint. Conservatives argue that it not only protected vulnerable regions from water-related disasters but also revitalized local economies. Liberal factions, including the Democratic Party of Korea, contend that the project was a wasteful initiative, costing taxpayers 23 trillion won while damaging ecosystems. The ruling party also opposes the construction of additional dams, citing environmental destruction.

Yet, ideological opposition alone cannot protect the country from the consequences of climate change. For instance, Sokcho, also in Gangwon Province, managed to maintain a stable water supply during droughts thanks to the construction of two underground dams in 1998 and 2021 — proof that well-planned infrastructure can make a difference.

Lee has shown interest in seawater desalination, promoting it as a long-term solution to drought. He argues that seawater is both abundant and clean, and therefore presents a sustainable option. But intentions are not enough — the ruling party must present practical, science-based and bipartisan solutions to combat climate-induced disasters.