Four major rivers found more contaminated

Major rivers in Korea including the Han River have become even more polluted than before with the water temperature rising and water flowing out of reservoirs decreasing. A report released by the Environment Ministry Monday on the contamination of the major rivers in March 2001 said that the biological oxygen demand (BOD) in water near Noryangjin and Kayang-dong on the Han River was 4.8 ppm and 5.1 ppm respectively, up greatly from 3.8 ppm and 3.9 ppm in February.

Water samples collected slightly higher up the river near Amsa (1.7--2.1 ppm), Kueui (1.8 -- 2.1 ppm) and Jamshil (1.8--2.1 ppm) also showed a steady increase in contamination in a period of one month. The general rise in the pollution level of the Han River was attributed to reduced water discharge from the Paldang Dam, which caused a relative increase in contaminants in the water.

The Nakdong River also showed a similar upturn in biological oxygen demand at many points in the middle and lower reaches of the river including Koryong (2.9--3.9 ppm), Namji (2.3--2.8 ppm) and Mulgum (3.1--3.2 ppm). All but one monitoring point along the Geum River posted higher BOD with numbers up by 0.1--0.3 ppm. The only exception was water from near Changwon in the middle reaches of the river where the BOD stood at 2.9--2.4 ppm.