South Korean Cities Inspect Flood Risks and Illegal River Occupations

Jinju City in South Korea conducted a field inspection on August 8 of illegal structures and occupations along its rivers, aiming to preserve drainage capacity ahead of the summer rainy season. Deputy mayor Park Il‑dong led the check, reviewing illegal occupancy, storage, farming and installations, and reviewing enforcement actions. The city’s river‑occupation task force, formed in March, will pursue voluntary restoration or, if refused, issue restoration orders and enforce penalties.

Prime Minister Han Sung‑suk visited the flood‑damaged Mo‑Chung‑dong area of Cheongju on July 11, inspecting the emergency flood gate and urging the swift completion of the city’s sewer‑improvement project. He directed the ministries of the Interior and Climate‑Energy to conduct a nationwide survey of recurrent flood zones and use data analysis to devise region‑specific countermeasures, ordering that the most frequently flooded areas be prioritized for inspection.