Flood control is the basis of national affairs management

North Korea is suffering from heavy rains and flooding. According to the United Nations` survey during its trip to North Korea on July 23 and 24, torrential rains left more than 11,000 houses collapsing and some 23,000 being injured. The flooding of the Cheongcheon River sent 80 percent of Anju City drowned in water and disrupted water and sewage systems, it said. Damages were also severe in Bakchon and Taechon counties in North Pyongan Province. Rice paddies and farms sank in waters and tens of thousands of livestock were carried away by flood, resulting in severe shortage of food and drinking water.

In 1995, one year after the death of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, a vast flooding occurred, and floods and typhoons have since swept the country almost every year, resulting in huge damages and losses. North Korean forests lack trees and have terraced farms that are vulnerable to even small amount of rain. Rivers and sewer systems are not established and thus lead to frequent flooding. North Korea failed in flood control.

Also in South Korea, the recent seasonal rain front across central and southern regions has poured more than 300mm of rain this year. The total amount of precipitation was similar to normal years, but lot of rains in a short period of time increased the danger of flooding. On July 22 and 23, heavy rains in central areas hit hundreds of people and houses. Supreme Council member Shim Jae-chul of leading Saenuri Party said, "We could confirm that flooding reduced sharply due to the four river restoration project." He said Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province had 510ha of land in damage due to 361mm of rainfalls a day this year, whereas 260mm of rainfalls a day had drowned 984ha in 2006. If the brook flowing into the four rivers were revamped, the damage from rainfall could have been reduced more.

The effects of the four river restoration project remain a controversial issue. Some argue that excess dredging could result in reverse erosion (an erosion occurring from downstream to upstream), and others say the effect of flood prevention is small compared to construction costs. The Board of Audit and Inspection raised suspicion on price-fixing among builders and overall construction defaults. The government will soon create a four river assessment committee to examine the four river project. Poor irrigation works, waste of budget and price-fixing corruptions will have to be thoroughly probed into. However, claims to start the project all over again where 22 trillion won (19.8 U.S. billion dollars) already has been spent or breaking down the irrigation are not acceptable.

Flood control is the basis of national affairs management. Countries with advanced water management systems including the Netherlands and Japan have flood control measures that look 200 years ahead. South Korea`s politicians should stop fighting over the four river project, and focus on devising future-oriented follow-up measures including objective research, handling of water pollution, and overhauling brook systems.