(MENAFN) South Korea on Friday called on North Korea to provide advance warnings before releasing water from a border-crossing dam during the critical monsoon season, citing safety concerns, local reports revealed.

Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, highlighted the importance of safeguarding lives and protecting residents living near the border, according to local media.

"(We) request that North Korea give advance notice when discharging water from the dam, for humanitarian purposes, to prevent flooding in border areas during the monsoon season," she stated.

Chang stressed that coordinating responses to natural disasters transcends politics, emphasizing that the two Koreas have previously agreed on flood control cooperation along the Imjin River, which runs from North to South Korea.

This urgent appeal follows an announcement just two days earlier from South Korea’s environment ministry that water levels near Pilseung Bridge on the Imjin River—close to the inter-Korean boundary—had surged to 1 meter. The rise is suspected to be caused by water released from North Korea’s Hwanggang Dam. Reaching this level triggers mandatory evacuation orders for visitors in the area.

When floodgates at the Hwanggang Dam open, the water levels along the southern Imjin River invariably climb, posing significant flood risks.

The issue recalls a tragic event in September 2009 when flooding in Yeoncheon resulted in at least six South Korean deaths or disappearances. Seoul attributed this disaster to an unannounced water discharge by the North.

Following that incident, North Korea committed to providing prior notifications before releasing water and issued alerts in 2010 and 2013. However, no warnings have been reported since, media added.

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