Legal and Institutional Improvement Plans

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Policy means is the tool to support and nurture direct and indirect means of creating river cultures, to maintain their stability, and to manage rivers. Fifth, the roles of civil sectors and river management agencies should be strengthened. For this reason, legal foundations should be provided and supported by segmentalizing various laws and regulations according to river use, so that river management agencies can offer a variety of programs and experiential opportunities.

3) Supporting the Sound Use of Rivers

First, in the aspect of safety, it is necessary to prevent the accidents of river users on water and at watersides, such as slipping, drowning, falling off, crashing, and so on. In addition, problems should be improved through steadily maintaining statistics and analysis on accidents on water. Second, in the aspect of convenience, it is necessary to expand convenience facilities, information facilities, rest facilities, exercise facilities, and leisure facilities in consideration of the demand and use patterns of river users.

Third, in terms of communication, a continuous expansion of faculties and means is required for realtime two-way communication and information exchange between river management agencies and river users. Fourth, in the aspect of diversity, it is necessary to develop concepts and programs that will allow and support four-season use of rivers.

Fifth, in the aspect of comfort, we should consider improvement of water quality, improvement of ecological conservation, improvement in the creation of landscape and green zones, and installation of art sculptures. Sixth, it is necessary to secure various materials on rivers and in facilities in the relevant areas through which the management authorities should provide a lot of information to river users regarding the basin area, rivers, and river facilities in order to attract and maintain their interests. They should also offer opportunities for education, understanding and cooperation.

4) Strengthening and Enhancement of Various River Functions

First, a variety of river functions should be strengthened and enhanced based on new river values which should be promoted regularly. For this purpose, research on the harmonious coexistence of people and rivers is required, while still maintaining the standards of conventional river functions of flood control, water utilization, and environmental conservation. Second, with safety issues related to flood control holding

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top priority, all river facilities should be designed and installed to be safe from floods.

In addition, the verification and installation criteria for safety, as related to flood control, should be provided on the various landscape, vegetation, and scenery facilities used for maintaining or supporting the river’s environment. Third, research should be conducted on the characteristics of river environment by areas or regions.

5) Vitalization of Regional Economy Using Rivers

First, in order to utilize river resources by connecting with the assets of surrounding areas or regions, the natural, social, cultural, historical, and environmental resources and assets of regions should be analyzed, and used to evaluate the feasibility of such utilization. Second, the relevant laws and regulations should be amended to include the utilization of resources connected with the surrounding areas or regions, based on research done on the issue. Third, building a regional cluster should be considered, if necessary.

6) Vitalization of Regional Governance

First, although current river management is led by a government, water governance for cooperative river management is required at regional level where various parties participate, because river management is a key issue that can promote regional development, as well as improve the quality of life for residential communities.

Second, proper role assignment is necessary among the governance parties for river management. It is desirable that the river management governance consists of central government, regional governments, community residents, regional organizations, and other related institutions. Third, legal and institutional foundations are necessary for building and operating proper and effective river management governance.

KRIHS

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Conclusion

Chapter

This study investigated current river policies from the perspective of paradigm shift and suggested possible future policy directions for river management. Further research should be conducted in the future in order to enhance, improve, and implement the policies according to the suggested directions and research for the improvement of legal and institutional systems.

It is predicted that the world trend of times will change from post modernism that respect humanism, ecology, and environment to reflexive modernism that emphasizes multitudinous thinking of human beings and the pluralistic values of the environment. As for river management, the paradigm is expected to shift from recovery of river environment and multi-use of rivers toward creation of a new river value and expansion of river management governance. This study sets the future vision of river management as “rivers for harmonious coexistence of human beings with nature pursuing multitudinous thinking of humans and pluralistic values of an environment.” The policy directions to follow for realization of the vision are as follows:

First, it is required to develop various contents and programs for creation and revitalization of river culture. Also, we need to encourage participation of civil sectors throughout regional communities and promote management policies in consideration of river users.

Second, in order to invigorate a sound use of rivers, various materials on rivers should be obtained. In addition, we need to install various facilities and develop programs for year-round use along with detailed guidance and active promotion for the public.

Third, in order to create a new river value, research should be conducted on the

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characteristics of river environments by areas or regions. Studies of ecological correlation between the river and environmental factors of surrounding regions are also needed and the methodology to analyze the effect of river environment projects should be provided as well.

Fourth, investigation and analysis on rivers and the assets of surrounding regions are needed to revitalize the regional economy by using rivers. Understanding and cooperation of affiliated parties and proper distribution of profits should be provided.

Lastly, in order to vitalize regional governance for river management, proper role assignment should be provided among relevant parties. An operational organization is also needed to deal with various agendas effectively in a neutral position.

In terms of a legal and institutional perspective, it is required to establish a new concept of river management and provide specific regulations and guidelines on the five aforementioned policies.

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