Changes and Achievements of Environmental and Water Resources Policies

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Changes and Achievements of Environmental and Water Resources Policies

KRIHS

SPECIAL REPORT

2008

Kim Sunhee Park Taesun

Vol. 10

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Copyright 2008 Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements

All rights reserved. Printed in the Republic of Korea. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permis- sion from KRIHS except in the case of brief quotations embodied in crit- ical articles and reviews. For more information, please address inquiries to: Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, 224 Simin-ro, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 431-712, Korea.

Anyang: Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, 2008

p.cm

Includes bibliographical references ISBN 978-89-8182-557-7

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Changes and Achievements of Environmental

and Water Resources Policies

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In 1960, Korea’s GDP per capita was approximately USD 79. The Park Jung-Hee Administration expanded national infrastructure industry and social overhead capital (SOC) through the 1st Economic Development Plan and the 1st Comprehensive National Physical Development Plan and formed the base for industrial enhancement centered on chemical and steel industries. During this period, urbanization¹⁾ and industrialization were accelerated through large scale dam construction, expressway projects and heavy and chemical industry complex construction projects across the nation. Consequently, environmental pollution in the capital region became a social issue in 1963, and the environmental pollution issue emerged in Ulsan Industrial Zone in 1965. The government enacted the Environmental Pollution Act in 1963 and the Enforcement Ordinance in November 1969 to prepare for an antipollution solution.

In 1956, 10 years after Liberation from Japanese Colonial Rule, devastated mountain areas reached 680,000 ha, due mainly to the Korean War, secret felling of trees and reckless deforestation. The government established Arbor Day in 1946 and launched the Korea Forest Service in 1967.

<Figure 1-1> Mt. Jiri as National Park <Figure 1-2> Greenbelt (1971)

Source: http://mirinezero.tistory.com/89 Source: http://blog.empas.com/sapphirering

1) Urbanization rate change: 17%(1947) 39.2%(1960) 67.9%(1981).

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1. Directions and Achievements of Environmental Policy

Also, the 1st 10 Year Plan for Forestry Conservation and Tree Planting was established and promoted in 1973, and then the 2nd and 3rd 10 year plans were continually established and forestation projects were enforced. Discussions on the national park designation were carried out in beautiful areas along with development. Based on the research of Mt. Jiri Area Development Committee set up within the National Reconstruction Campaign Headquarters in 1963, the introduction of a national park system was presented to the deliberation meeting of Comprehensive National Land Development Plan in 1967. On December 29, 1967, the Construction Minister designated and publicly notified Mt.Jiri as National Park No.1 of Korea. The Park Act was also enacted in 1967. During the 1960s, Mt. Jiri, Gyeongju, Mt. Gyeryong and Hallyo Haesang were designated as national parks.

During the 1970s, Mt. Sorak, Mt. Sokri, Mt. Halla, Mt. Naejang, Mt. Gaya, Mt.

Deukyu, Mt. Odae, Mt. Juwang and Taean Coast were designated as national parks.

As the industrial structure changed from light industry to heavy industry in the late 1970s, environmental pollution problems became diversified and serious.

Rivers were polluted due to factory and household waste water, and air pollution around industrial complexes was extreme. Actually, the Park Jung-Hee Administration enacted the Environmental Conservation Act in 1977, deciding that responses to various environmental problems would be difficult with the Antipollution Act dealing only with the issues of health and sanitation. In addi- tion, the government set up environmental standards, carried out environmental impact assessment and introduced regions of special solutions. Low sulfur oil use was mandated to reduce air pollution and a four major river valley environmental survey projects were launched to establish a water pollution solution. The chaotic spread of cities was on the rise, due to rapid urbanization. To prevent such a phe- nomenon, the green belt was designated under the Urban Planning Act so as to preserve the natural environment surrounding cities and ensure a sound living environment for city dwellers. Since the green belt focused on the capital region was set up in 1971, the designation of green belt zoning was completed by designating Yeocheon City in 1977. The area of 5,397 or 5.4% of the entire national land was designated in 28 cities, including Seoul and other 5 metropolitan cities, and 36 counties in 8 occasions (Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, 1996: 464).

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2) 1980s: Improvement of National Living Environment

In 1980, the Environment Administration was launched as an agency of the Ministry of Health and Society, and the Environmental Conservation Act, related budget and manpower were prepared, and thus, systematic National Environmental Conservation Plan was established. In 1986, local environment ad- ministrations were established in 6 zones Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daegu, Daejeon and Wonju. In this manner, an environmental management system by zone was built.

As the Constitution stipulated the environmental rights guarantee and environmental conservation obligations, Korea’s environmental legislation began to be arranged.²⁾ In this period, especially, the Environmental Conservation Act began to be diversified into the Basic Environmental Policy Act, the Air Pollution Act and the Water Quality Conservation Act, while environmental problems became serious and diversified, because of economic structure enhancement deriving from the advance of industrialization. Korea stipulated environmental rights through entire revisions of the Constitution in 1980 and 1987.

In 1986 when the 5th Economic Development Plan was finished, the GDP per capita rose to USD 2,344, and the 1980s was a period that saw Korea’s rapid growth into one of the newly industrialized countries (NICS). The living environmental quality improvement, in particular, emerged as an urgent national task on the occasions of the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. As the name Economic Development Plan was changed to the 5 Year Economic and Social Development Plan, the qualitative improvement of people’s lives became a basic objective. The plan on environmental conservation based on the basic objective of "Harmony of Economic Growth and Environmental Conservation" was also inserted. In February 1981, the environmental impact assessment system was enforced in full swing.

In 1987, government’s top priority plan, the 1st Long-Term Environmental Conservation Comprehensive Plan (1987-2001) was formulated by integrating the

2) Article 35 of the Constitution provides, "All Korean people have a right to live in healthy and pleasant environment, and both the government and people should make efforts for environmental conservation."

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Han-River Conservation Comprehensive Plan, Nakdong-River Conservation Comprehensive Plan and Southwestern Coast Conservation Comprehensive Plan.

The government established and implemented projects by stage to achieve and maintain environmental conservation objectives, such as attaining and maintaining environmental standards and expanding clean areas.

In early 1989, tap water pollution became a social issue. The Noh Tae-Woo Administration formulated the Comprehensive Solution to Supply Clean Water, a nationwide water quality conservation solution introduced for the first time in Korea. Moreover, sewage treatment plants were constructed, and the areas of Lake Paldang and Lake Daecheong were designated as Special Areas for Water Resources Protection.

The Special Area for Water Resources Protection emerged as a fundamental cause of conflicts and confrontation between the upper and lower river residents, as disputes regarding property breaches were raised, because of robust restrictions for the protection of water supply sources, when the concerned areas were- designated so. The need to operate a beneficiary pay principle was raised in addi- tion to the polluter pay principle (PPP).

3) 1990s: Conflicts between Development and Conservation

The year 1990 was the first year declared for environmental conservation. The ex- isting Environment Administration was promoted to the Ministry of Environment.

In 1991, starting with the establishment of the Mid-Term Environmental Conservation Comprehensive Plan, various plans and systems began to be arranged. As the Environmental Conservation Act was revised as the Basic Environment Policy Act, the environment-related laws were divided into 14 in- dividual laws. In 1992, a national declaration for environmental conservation was proclaimed, and the Nationwide Natural Environmental Conservation Plan, Basic Air Conservation Plan and Basic Water Quality Conservation Plan were formulated.

In January 1992, the 3rd Comprehensive National Land Development Act was proclaimed. In this Environmental Conservation Plan aiming at pleasant envi-

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ronment formation, the systematic and comprehensive establishment of an environmental management system, harmony of development and environmental conservation, natural ecosystem conservation and consolidation of global environmental conservation were major contents.

In 1992, since the UNCED held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Korean government declared Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Development (ESSD) as a new paradigm. An effort to introduce and combine Agenda 21 for global environmental protection in the 21st century into the national land and regional development field was promoted in diverse ways. In September 2000, the Sustainable Development Committee, an advisory body ofPresident for eco-friendly and sustainable national development and reasonable solution by reflecting sustainable development for which international society sympathizes, was founded. Under the slogan, "Think Globally, Act Locally," an opportunity to newly approach international and local environmental problems was provided. Especially, the introduction of Local Agenda 21 was accompanied by many changes in the local environmental management system.³⁾

In January 1994, a Nakdong-River phenol accident took place, and as a result of the accident, the Water Quality Improvement Planning Office, affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office, and a Private Sector Policy Committee for Water Resources Management were organized. Thus, environmental organizations began to act in full scale. The water supply and sewage job of the Construction Ministry was transferred to the Ministry of the Environment.

Nonetheless, since the late 1990s, water resource issues, such as pollution in Lake Shihwa and drinking water source pollution in the four major rivers, emerged. The water quality of four major rivers, including Lake Paldang, the drinking water source for the capital region, was not improved. The Kim Dae-Joong Administration established the Nakdong-River Water Quality Management Comprehensive Solution, Geum-River and the Youngsan-River Water Quality Management Comprehensive Solution, starting with the Han-River Water Supply Source Special Comprehensive Solution in November 1998. To support those solutions, the Act for Han-River Water Quality Improvement and Residents

3) Among 250 local governments nationwide including 16 broad local areas, 92% or 229 local governments completed the drawing up of Local Agenda 21, as of 2007.

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Support was enacted and integrated and advanced water resources management policy. As such, a total pollution volume system, waterfront zoning system, water use surcharge system, water source area support and land purchase system, was introduced.

In 1995, the 3rd Comprehensive National Land Plan revision proposal was reviewed in view of domestic and foreign situations, such as economic cooperation between South and North Korea and OECD membership. In this revision proposal, the terms of "development" was deleted. This aimed to improve living quality for abundant life and eco-friendly national land resources management for the next generation, and prepared the formation of pleasant and safe cities, establishment of planned and conserving use systems of resources and promotion of eco-friendly national land development.

In 1999, the 4th Comprehensive National Land Plan was formulated. This plan set up a 21st Century National Land Green Plan to realize a healthy and pleasant green national land through fundamental policy means, including the establishment of the National Land Environmental Management System, National Land Ecosystem Network, implementation of land Aptitude Evaluation and Introduction of the Waterfront Management System. Eco-friendly management techniques were introduced throughout national land development, such as pre-plan/post-development system, city and local development, industrial location, and road and dam construction.

In 1997, President, Kim Dae-Joong announced an election pledge, "Green belt areas without conservation value will be released by carrying out scientific environmental assessment, and the government will purchase areas where conservation is needed." Thus, the green belt was fully re-coordinated and system improvement was conducted in 1998.

In 2000, A Special Act for Green Belt Designation and Management was enacted, and changes in designation purpose and management mode of green belt were made. Huge appeasements in restrictions were made including the activation of village arrangement projects, zoning change expansion within villages and golf course construction licensing. Seven urban zones with high pressure of city spread and a great need for environmental management, including the capital region, were partially adjusted in consideration of urban special structure and environ-

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mental evaluation results by formulating broad urban plans.

In 1990, NIMBYS (Not In My Back Yard Syndrome) began to spread nationwide, due to local residents’ opposition campaign on the Anmyeondo nuclear power plant waste collection management center. After the Lake Shihwa pollution accident in 1994 was reported, distrust on the national projects led by the government greatly increased, and thus the re-evaluation of national projects was conducted. In 1998, the water pollution of the Saemangeum Land Reclamation Project became a social issue, and the government re-reviewed the economic efficiency, environmental impact and water pollution issues from scratch. In May, a private and public sector joint survey was conducted for re-assessment of national projects for the first time in Korea. The Youngwol Dong-River Dam Project was cancelled through a comprehensive review of feasibility in April 1999. Also, environmental conflict related to the 2nd phase Gyeongbu High Speed Railway Project, that is, a Salamander lawsuit, cast many implications for formation of agreement on national projects. Through these cases, there has been a huge need to formulate a system to prevent and coordinate conflicts surrounding large scale national projects.

4) 2000s: Establishment of Sustainable Territorial Environment Management System

After the summit talks between South and North Korea in June 2000, discussions and government measures on ecosystem conservation methods around the DMZ to prevent unplanned damages in and around the DMZ were conducted. From 2001, designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (BR)was promoted, and the ecosystem conservation measure in and around DMZ was confirmed. The DMZ runs as an East-West eco-axis conservation and management in the Korean peninsula and as an international peace-ecosystem area.

In December 2003, the Baekdu Daegan Mountain System Protection Act was enacted to prevent damage deriving from indiscreet development activities of the Baekdu Daegan Mountain System and to shape our land as sound and pleasant natural environment. The Roh Moo-Hyun Administration publicly designated

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Baekdu Daegan protection area reaching 2634 in August 2005, and formulated a Basic Baekdu Daegan Mountain System Protection Plan in December 2005 and its enforcement plan. Organic and integrated conservation and management based on the natural ecosystem of national mountains, seas, islands and wetlands were formed in this period. The Baekdu Daegan eco-axis, DMZ eco-axis and islands and coasts eco-axis were set as thee major axes of national land.

<Figure 1-3> Baekdu Daegan Mountain System

<Figure 1-4> Changnyeong Woopo Marsh

Source: The Office of Forestry Source: http://www.komats.co.kr

Moreover, a method to establish national land eco-integration network began to be discussed, and conservation solutions were pursued so as to link cities & ru- ral areas and rivers and seas, and ecologically restore them. Since 1998, among 2679 uninhabited islands scattered across the nation, research and survey of vege- tation, flora and topographic landscape has been carried out for 657 islands with superior ecosystems. Currently, 153 islands have been designated and managed as special islands. In June 2004, the Special Act for Ecosystem Conservation in the Islands including Dok-Island was enacted, and a related basic plan was formulated. The islands have since been conserved and managed in this manner.

Approximately 500 of wetlands are distributed nationwide, and among those wetlands, 15 with superior natural ecosystems and great diversity of creatures, have been designated and managed as wetland protection areas. The Wetland Conservation Act was enacted in 1999, and the Jang Island Wetland, Mt.

Daeam Dragon Marsh, Changnyeong Woopo Marsh were registered as Ramsar

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Wetland as of 2005. Mt. Sorak, Mt. Baekdu, Mt. Halla and Mt. Guwol were designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in October 2004.

As the society of democratization, localization and informatization is promoted, and GDP per capital rose to over USD 10,000, social conflicts also have increased. Twenty-four typical environmental conflicts, such as the Saemangeum Land Reclamation Project, Youngwol Dong-River Dam Project, Seoul Outskirts Circular Expressway Project, Gyeongbu High Speed Railway Project, Hantan-River Dam and Nuclear Power Plant Waste Collection Management Center location, were revealed nationwide. These environmental conflicts were spread out over 3-5 years and the relevant projects were suspended, and then re-review of the projects was conducted: Distrust on the government and social conflicts greatly increased.

The progress of conflicts was converted from compensation in the past to value conflicts to conserve environment and life value, and began to expand and waste national finance, losses deriving from the delay of projects, and distrust on the government. The Roh Moo-Hyun Administration perceived the need to establish a fundamental social agreement formation system for public conflict prevention and control, and thus formulated the Regulations of Public Conflicts Prevention and Control in February 2007.

In consideration of ecological, facility and institutional accommodation, that is, carrying capacity, a preventive national land environment management function to build national land environmental management system, based on sustainability of national land, is continuously consolidated. In June 2006, the Roh Moo-Hyun Administration implemented the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to review and assess environmentality by stage in all processes related to development.

Through the SEA, a prior review of environmentality on the pertinence and alter- nate locations in the initial stage of development conception and an assessment of environmental impacts, according to development project implementation stage, were systematized.

Korea is not a mandatory greenhouse gas reduction country, but has sin- cerely been promoted to the Kyoto Protocol Collation (Oct. 2002), after joiningthe Convention on Climate Change in December 1993. The government set up a Pan Government Body to cope with the Convention on Climate Change in which 19 ministries participate and a Committee to cope with the Convention on Climate

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Change in 1998 under the perception that energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction are in line with Korea’s long-term economic development. Starting from the 1st Solution on such climate change (1999-2001), the 2nd Solution (2002-2004), the 3rd Solution (2005-2007) and the 4th Solution(2008-2010) have been established and basic conditions for greenhouse gas emission reduction are being shaped.

5) Promoting Green Growth and Pleasant Territorial Environment

The national land has changed in the past and present, and will continuously change in the future, too. Our land remarkably changed in the compressed economic growth process over the past 60 years, and the environmental policies and systems have been advanced.

For Korea to shape a gracious and pleasant national land environment in line with USD 40,000 target as GDP per capita and USD 100,000 target as GDP per capita and to realize green growth, the following should be conducted:

First, a natural ecosystem and water quality including rivers, lakes and seas should be conserved beyond a specified level, and the living environment, such as air, noise and vibrations must be sharply improved.

Second, the recovery of the land of beautiful scenery is necessary through conservation and restoration of the natural ecosystem in mountains, rivers and coasts. Mountains, rivers and coast environments where various creatures can in- habit should be shaped by building national land ecosystem integrated networks, and new nature-friendly spaces must be created. Through the projects to shape Baekdu Daegan Korean People’s Eco Park, DMZ Peace Eco Park and West Cost Peace Park with both South and North Korea involved, a measure to restore the natural ecosystem in the divided and damaged Korean Peninsula is also necessary.

Third, national land amenity discovery and creation strategies must be prepared. To recreate our land as beautiful and pleasant space, we need to actively discover hidden natural, cultural and social resources on every corner of our land, and a strategy to activate the national land amenity, creating local added value, must be devised by linking those resources, space and local economies.

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Fourth, the social agreement formation system to solve and prevent environmental conflicts must mature, and the planning and promotion procedures of various developing projects must be rationalized and systematized. Social capital should be expanded to improve conflict and coordination mechanism of the diversified society and to promote social credibility and creativity.

Fifth, a comprehensive national land management solution should be devised to prevent global warming and for climate change mitigation and adaptation. For climate change mitigation, the arrangement and integration method of overall national land and urban planning system, such as energy saving national land and city designs and low carbon transportation and logistics system designs, is required. For adaptation to climate change, the national land needs to be designed in consideration of the CO2 reduction scenario after 30-50 years at least, and long-term plans and cooperative systems must be prepared.

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2. Directions and Achievements of Water Resources Policy

2. Directions and Achievements of Water Resources Policy

1) Miracle of the Han River: From Flood Control to River-friendly Policy

Water has been the subject of use and management simultaneously for quite some time. The national land contains such valuable water and land, which is the foundation of our lives. This is why water resources carry an important meaning in national land management. Nowadays, water has become one of the most valuable resources to maintain economic and industrial activities, such as agriculture, industry and entertainment, as well as drinking water.

However, water demand has rapidly risen with industrialization and urbanization, along with the population increase, and the use and perception of water has become different, as human activities diversified. As quality of life and environmental awareness improves, the importance of river ecosystem conservation and water-friendly spaces emerge. Recently, floods and drought frequently take place, due to global warming, and it is becoming more difficult to prevent flood damage and obtain a stable water supply.

In retrospect of water resource policies during the past 60 years, it is time that we review how water resources have been managed, and consider how to promote future water resource policies. Though it is difficult to clearly classify the changes of water resource policies by year, they can be categorized into four stages, based on policy paradigm shifts: Prior to 1960, 1960-1979, 1980-1999 and 2000-present.

Category Basic Policies Major Policies to Promote

Prior to 1960 (Inception Period)

River control projects for survival

- Food production increase, building banks

- River status survey

Basic survey of river improvement projects, hydro power plants and water supply for living and production

- Joseon River Survey (1915-1928) - Hydro Power Plant Site Survey (1954-)

<Table 2-1> History of Major Policies

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(Continued)

Category Basic Policies Major Policies to Promote

1960-1979 (Development Period)

Re-perception water as a resource

- Support of economic development

- Stable water supply

Preparing foundation of water management and promoting full scale development

- Enactment of River Act, Specific

Multipurpose Dam Act and foundation of Water Resource Bureau (1961)

- 10 Year Long-Term Water Resources Comprehensive Development (1966) - Four Major River Valley Comprehensive

Development Plan (1971-1981)

1980-1999 (Expansion Period)

Solution of conflicts between development and conservation

- Development of large and multipurpose - Solution of conflicts

from environmental conservation

Continuous expansion of water resources facilities and multipurpose use

- Establishment of long-term water resources comprehensive development plan (1981, 1991, 1997)

- Development of multipurpose dams, expansion of broad zone water supply - Efforts to solve environmental problems and

conflicts

2000-Present (Management Period)

Scientific water management and diversification

- Optimal water management effort - Long-term and

diversified management

Promotion of scientific water resources management considering condition changes

- Establishment and promotion of Long-Term Water Resources Comprehensive Plan (2006) - Currently under establishment and

promotion of management policies considering climate change

2) Prior to 1960: Seed for Survival Planted on Ruins of War

Korean people greatly suffer from heavy rains and typhoons each year, because of geographical and meteorological features. Thus, a long time ago, reservoirs were built and rivers were improved to cope with droughts and floods. The modern sense of water management actually emerged in 1910 during the Japanese Colonial Rule Period. Japan focused on river improvement and hydro power plant projects to obtain rice for military use and electric power necessary for war. Japan conducted river surveys on 14 main rivers nationwide during 1915-1928, and issued a Joseon River Survey Report in 1928. According to Japan’s colonial policy to make

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Joseon a supply base for foods and industrial raw materials to invade China, large scale concrete dams for hydro power plants suitable for natural conditions in North Korea, and small scale earth dams in plain areas were promoted. In the late Japanese Colonial Rule Period, water resource development was promoted for hydro power generation, irrigation and water for living and production to obtain electric power and water supply to invade mainland China.

After the Korean War, dams for irrigation, water for living and hydro power generation were built with assistance from international organizations, such as United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency (UNKRA), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the International Cooperation Administration (ICA) to re- cover from war damage amid social chaos.

3) 1960s - 1970s: Miracle of the Han River

As the Third Republic of Korea was founded in 1961, the 1st 5 Year Economic Development Plan was formulated for economic reconstruction, and active economic development was promoted and led by the government during 1962-1966.

In October 1961, the Water Resources Bureau was founded by absorbing the Engineering Works Bureau under the Internal Affairs Ministry to the NationalLand Construction Administration affiliated with the Economic Planning Ministry. In December 1961, the Joseon River Ordinance that had been applied was abolished, and the River Act was enacted to prepare framework for water resource management. In 1965, the 10-Year Water Resources Plan (1970-1980) was established under the perception of comprehensive water resources development to at- tain self-reliant economy, food self-sufficiency, enhancement of industry and stabil- ity of livelihood of people.

In 1966, the HanRIver Joint Survey Group was organized, and it carried out various surveys to comprehensively develop water resources within the HanRIver Basin. After that, the Specific Multipurpose Dam Act was enacted and proclaimed in April 1966 as a special case law of the River Act in order to promote multipurpose dams. In November 1967, Korea Water Resources Corporation took charge of water resources development was founded. In September 1967, 142km of rivers

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were improved by investing 20,833 tons of grain and KRW 3.05 billion during the 1st and 2nd 5 Year Economic Development Plan through the World Food Programme (WFP) Support River Improvement Agreement between the Korean government and FAO. In 1968, a draft for river valley development comprehensive plan was prepared including the largest gravel dam, the Soyang-River Dam. Based on this draft, dam construction began in April 1967 and was completed in December 1973.

In 1970, the Four Major River Valley Comprehensive Plan (1970-1981) was formulated based on the river valley comprehensive plan draft, and the Four Major River Valley Comprehensive Development Committee was set up and chaired by the Vice-Prime Minister, and the committee supervised projects by each ministry. In 1973, 1st stage Broad Water Supply in the Capital Region was launched to supply 1.2 million /day of water so as to solve the chronic lack of water and to supply water for industrial use in four cities (Seoul, Seongnam, Bucheon and Incheon) in the capital region, and was completed in 1979. In 1974, a Korea River Survey Report was issued by arranging data on rivers nationwide, water resources development performances, and plans.

<Figure 2-1> View of Soyang River Dam

Source: Korea Water Resources Corporation (http://www.kwater.or.kr/)

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4) 1980s - 1990s: From Development to Conservation

Policies to resolve imbalance between regions, between industries and between income brackets were promoted in the 1980s. To this end, the Long-Term Water Resources Development Comprehensive Plan (1981-2001) was established and promoted in association with the 2nd Comprehensive National Land Development Plan (1982-1991). The plan focused on the construction of multiple dams, water supply dams and estuary banks to stably cope with rapidly increasing water supply demand, promotion of river improvement to reduce disasters, and increase of hydro energy development, due to oil shock in the mid 1970s. According to this plan, large scale dams, such as the Chungju Dam, Hapcheon Dam and Juam Dam, were built.

However, the water supply shortage and flood damage in the small and me- dium river basins increased and river pollution was forecast to be severe. To cope with such a situation, the Long-Term Water Resources Development Comprehensive Plan (1991-2011) was formulated.

Since then, urbanization and industrialization developed along with living standard improvement, and in the early 2000s, serious snag was caused, due to a serious water shortage nationwide, and thus industrial complexes or cities became difficult. Also, severe droughts and floods have been forecast, because of abnormal climate changes, including El Nino. Consequently, the Long-Term Water Resources Comprehensive Plan (1997-2011) was formulated. The plan focused on the stabili- zation of water supply nationwide, flood disaster prevention and formation of pleasant waterfront environment, rationalization of water resources management and research and survey activation.

In the early 1990s, social sympathy began to be shaped regarding the problems of river maintenance with an enhanced awareness of river environment. In 1991, research to introduce environmental concepts in river management began, and a concept of river maintaining quantity of flow was introduced by fully re- vising the river Act in 1999: A minimum quantity of flow necessary to maintain normal functions and status of river was set and publicly noticed. In the 2000s, broad sympathy was formed concerning the need for a river environment plan, and the plan was included in formulating the Long-Term Water Resources

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Comprehensive Plan (2001). In December 1991, the Gyeongin Waterway Comprehensive Plan was established in order to use it as a flood control channel and as a waterway to solve land transport difficulty in the capital region.

Opposing views, however, were presented, pointing out that the waterway construction economic efficiency was low, and the ecosystem would be destroyed and the living sphere would be divided. Therefore, the agreement to attract private sector funds for the Gyeongin Waterway was cancelled in July 2004. The construction of the waterway was suspended in January 2005 by paying KRW 120 billion as agreement cancellation payment on the temporary flood control channel.

In 1996, a Gyeongbu Waterway (HanRIver to Nakdong-River) plan to con- nect Seoul and Busan as a means of river transport was reviewed. A possibility of this plan was presented in that land transport difficulty can be eased with a large volume of cargo transport through a main waterway, and that water resources can be used in a balanced manner.

Since the late 1980s, water quality began to appear as a social issue. As the reported results of a research analysis on the 10 worst purification plants in terms of water quality during the drought period (Oct. 1988 to Dec. 1988) by the Korea Institute of Construction Technology, people’s distrust of tap water quality rose, and thus, solutions for water quality improvement began to be devised in January, 1989. In March and April, 1991, phenol liquid was discharged into the Nakdong-River, after the phenol pipeline of Doosan Electronics in the Gumi Industrial Complex was destroyed. After this accident, a Clean Water Supply Comprehensive Solution(1993-1997) was formulated and the government began to actively cope with the water quality problem of the four major rivers. The Nakdong-River phenol pollution accident became an occasion to convert the direction of water resources management policy from an investment project-oriented follow-up measure, including basic environmental facility installation, to the introduction of pre-pollution prevention systems, such as Total Pollution Volume Management, simultaneously setting up a waterfront zone, water source upgrading and designation of security forest, and the support of local residents in restrictive areas.

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5) 2000s: Water Resources Management by Citizens

In July 2001, the Long-Term Water Resources Comprehensive Plan (2001-2020) was established in association with the 4th Comprehensive National Land Plan. Since then, a problem was raised in that the water demand and water shortage had been allegedly excessively estimated in the plan established in 2001 by civic organizations, and the Ministry of the Environment has maintained a position that a social agreement is necessary on water demand forecasting. In July 2006, the Long-Term Water Resources Comprehensive Plan (2006-2020) was formulated by reflecting social condition changes, including natural condition changes such as frequent droughts and large scale flooding after 2001, along with opinion con- vergence on estimated water demand and water supply capability change, deriving from Mt. Geumgang Dam in the BukhanRiver Basin and dam construction in the upper Imjin-River.

In the latter part of the 1990s, the social atmosphere opposing dam construction was formed on the grounds that land prices around the submerged area would go down, due to activity restrictions, once a dam is constructed.

Accordingly, in September 1999, the Act for Dam Construction and Outskirts Support (the Dam Act) was enacted including the maintenance project around the dam area to activate the surrounding area’s economy and improve the living environment in consideration of social condition changes arising from dam construction. Also, the act includes supporting projects around dams to promote surrounding area residents’ income and welfare increases, after a dam is completed. With the enactment of the act, the Specific Multipurpose Dam Act, which was the foundation of dam construction, was abolished. Also, the dam construction policy was turned into a direction to promote dam construction by estab- lishing long-term dam construction plans targeting all dams, developing water resources comprehensively and systematically and expanding support for residents surrounding the concerned dams.

In the late 1990s, a systematic and comprehensive survey was conducted concerning human, nature, industry, irrigation, river improvement and environmental ecology in the river valleys, and thus, the need for sound and sustainable river valley management began to be apparent. In November 1998, the Korean River

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Catalogue issued in 1991 began to be revised, and the revised Korean River Catalogue was drawn up in June 2000. In September 1999, the Water Management Information System (WAMIS) providing major information in the 10 sectors, including floodgates, rivers and dams were built. In December 1999, the Water Information Management-Oriented Comprehensive Plan was established by the Water Quality Improvement Planning Office affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office.

In April 2004, the Water Management Standard was confirmed, and in November 2004, 7 institutions, including the Construction Ministry, Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry built the Water Management Information Networking System (WINS) on 29 items, such as floodgates, climate, rivers, dams, underground water, water use and topography and space. In June 2006, River Valley Instructions were set up, and at the end of 2006, WINS’ water-related institutions were expanded to 14, and joint use data increased to 43 items.

6) Gathering Technology, Knowledge and Wisdom Together

There was time that people just relied on God. People regarded floods or droughts as the will of God. However, nowadays is the time to predict changes to some de- gree, as science develops. Korean people have made an effort to gain technology to forecast global changes beyond forecasting climate change in Korea. It is time that we need wisdom for predictable water management to adap t to nature by faster and more precisely forecasting natural changes through the power of science and technology.

Humans need water for survival, and that is why conflicts to obtain cleaner and abundant water have continued thus far. Our world may be damaged more by disputes or conflicts between people surrounding water, rather than by floods or droughts. People should make an effort to prevent conflicts surrounding water between the upper and lower rivers, between regions and between nations, and conduct the best water management without conflicts so as to solve and coordinate conflicts rationally.

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Humans are a constituent of the nature, and are the supreme creatures equipped with intellectual abilities through which people can obtain wisdom and realization from water, which is the origin of all things. In the past, water management was based on economic efficiency, and the current water management is based on the natural environment. The future water management, however, will focus on the human’s water use culture. Now is the time that we need to realize the true meaning of water by safely managing and saving it so that our descend- ants can use water as well. All in all, now is the time that we need wisdom for human-oriented water management.

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Bibliography

Bibliography

Korean Literature

Jang, Hawon (2003). Age for GDP per capita of USD 20,000. Seoul: Policy Planning Committee.

Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (1996). National land - 50 years, re- flection of national land and outlook toward the 21st century. Anyang: Seoul Press.

Korea Water Resources Association (1997). 30 years of Korea's water resources development. Seoul: Author.

Korean Society of Civil Engineers (2001). Korean history of civil engineering. Seoul:

Korean Civil Engineers/KSCE.

Ministry of Construction and Transportation (2006). Long-term water resources com- prehensive plan (2006-2020). Gwacheon: The Government of Korea.

Ministry of Construction and Transportation (2007). Water resources of Korea.

Gwacheon: The Government of Korea.

Park, Wonhoon et al. (2002). Environmental vision of Korea 2050. Seoul: Geumulko.

Web Documents

Retrieved August 31, 2008, from the Korea Forest Service Web site:

http://www.forest.go.kr/

Retrieved August 31, 2008, from the Korea Water Resources Corporation Web site:

http://www.kwater.or.kr/

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Changes and Achievements of Environmental and Water Resources Policies

Changes and Achievements of Environmental and Water Resources Policies

KRIHS

SPECIAL REPORT

2008

Kim Sunhee Park Taesun

Vol. 10

Changes and Achievements of Environmental

and Water Resources Policies

Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations

1. Directions and Achievements of Environmental Policy

1) 1960s-1970s: Economic Growth Prioritized over Environmental Conservation

2) 1980s: Improvement of National Living Environment

3) 1990s: Conflicts between Development and Conservation

4) 2000s: Establishment of Sustainable Territorial Environment Management System

5) Promoting Green Growth and Pleasant Territorial Environment

2. Directions and Achievements of Water Resources Policy

1) Miracle of the Han River: From Flood Control to River-friendly Policy

2) Prior to 1960: Seed for Survival Planted on Ruins of War

3) 1960s - 1970s: Miracle of the Han River

4) 1980s - 1990s: From Development to Conservation

5) 2000s: Water Resources Management by Citizens

6) Gathering Technology, Knowledge and Wisdom Together

Bibliography

Korean Literature

Web Documents