Nationwide Drought Concerns Rising... Kim Injung, President of Korea Rural Community Corporation, Vows "All-Out Efforts to Secure Agricultural Water"

Drought in 48 Cities and Counties Nationwide
Emergency for Agricultural Water Supply in the Southern Region

President Kim Inspects Water Supply at Changnyeong with 11.1% Storage Rate
Focus on Drought Response in the South

Proactive Management Before Drought Strikes
Target Reservoirs Expanded Using Data

With concerns over drought growing across the country, Kim Injung, President of Korea Rural Community Corporation, has been making consecutive visits to drought-affected areas to inspect the status of agricultural water supply and is leading a comprehensive response effort.

On August 4, President Kim visited Okcheon Reservoir in Changnyeong County, Gyeongsangnam-do. This on-site inspection was prompted by the reservoir's water storage rate dropping to 11.1%, which is only 13.4% of the average annual level, due to ongoing meteorological drought and heatwave conditions. President Kim checked the reservoir’s water level, the status of agricultural water supply, and the operation of alternative sources such as wells, while also listening to the concerns of farmers on-site. The corporation is working to secure water at Okcheon Reservoir by pumping drained water upstream for reuse and by operating water pumps to supply river water directly to farmland. At the site, President Kim stated, “We must implement comprehensive on-site measures to ensure that farmers do not suffer from drought,” and urged staff to “thoroughly execute step-by-step water supply measures in preparation for a prolonged drought and to maintain close communication and cooperation with relevant agencies.”

Kim Injung, President of Korea Rural Community Corporation (left), is conducting an on-site inspection of drought water supply measures at Okcheon Reservoir in Changnyeong County, Gyeongnam Province on the 4th. Korea Rural Community Corporation

President Kim’s on-site activities continued the following day. On August 5, he visited Odong Reservoir in Yeonggwang County, Jeollanam-do to inspect the agricultural water supply and drought response measures. With rainfall shortages persisting in the southern regions and conditions for securing agricultural water worsening, he checked the situation directly and reviewed the status of water supply in each area. The corporation is implementing phased measures tailored to the conditions of each reservoir in the Gyeongsangnam-do region, such as water pumping and storage, direct supply, and alternative supply. Currently, at 23 reservoirs in Gyeongsangnam-do, water is being pumped from rivers to fill the reservoirs, and at 29 locations, river water is supplied directly to farmland. At 21 sites, alternative supply using neighboring reservoirs or wells is being carried out.

Kim Injoong, President of the Korea Rural Community Corporation (right), is conducting an on-site inspection of drought response water securing measures at Odong Reservoir in Yeonggwang, Jeonnam, on the 5th. Korea Rural Community Corporation

President Kim’s consecutive visits to drought sites are in response to mounting nationwide drought concerns. As of August 9, according to the government’s drought forecast and warning, cumulative precipitation across the country in the past six months was 603.0 mm, only 82.3% of the normal level. Meteorological droughts were reported in 48 cities and counties nationwide, and a severe drought at the “alert” stage occurred in Busan, Gimhae in Gyeongsangnam-do, and Ulju in Ulsan. The nationwide average storage rate of agricultural reservoirs remained at 53.2%, which is 76.1% of the average yearly level. In particular, reservoir storage rates in the southern region were low, ranging from 54% to 76% of the average. Precipitation in August and September is also forecast to be lower than average, raising the possibility of a prolonged drought.

The response approach President Kim emphasizes goes beyond simply securing water after the drought becomes severe. Instead, the company identifies areas at risk of water shortages in advance based on reservoir storage rates and weather forecasts. The corporation utilizes the Agricultural Drought Management System (ADMS) to analyze storage rates, weather forecasts, and projected water demand, proactively identifying reservoirs that may face shortages at each stage of cultivation. After selecting 62 reservoirs in October last year that were likely to run short of water during this year’s farming season, the management list was expanded to 115 reservoirs in February after insufficient rainfall persisted. Since then, direct supply, installation of simple pumping stations, and securing alternative water sources have been implemented depending on local conditions. In Gyeongsangnam-do, where an extended dry rainy season continued since mid-July, the average storage rate of the corporation-managed agricultural reservoirs fell to 39%, 34 percentage points lower than the usual 73%. In response, reservoirs with low storage rates were designated as priority facilities to strengthen water supply measures.

Kim Injoong, President of Korea Rural Community Corporation, chaired a "Drought Countermeasure Progress Review Meeting" on the 29th of last month at the disaster response situation room at the Naju headquarters. About 80 people, including the Director of Water Resources Management, heads of departments related to water resources management, regional headquarters directors, and branch managers, participated both online and offline. Korea Rural Community Corporation

In addition to on-site inspections, President Kim is personally overseeing emergency response at the corporate headquarters. On July 29, he presided over the “Drought Countermeasure Implementation Status Review Meeting” at the Disaster Safety Comprehensive Situation Room at the headquarters in Naju, Jeollanam-do, reviewing the drought situation, the status of water supply by region, and the emergency response system together with more than 80 staff including the director in charge and department heads.

The corporation plans to maximize the use of available water resources by operating pumping stations, securing river water, and reusing drained water, while also monitoring weather conditions and storage rates in real time. The organization will work in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and local governments to rapidly provide necessary drought response funds, pumping equipment, and personnel to sites in need. President Kim stated at the time, “We are facing a complex climate crisis where recent drought and flood threats coexist,” and called for stronger cooperation with related agencies. He continued, “Mobilize all tangible and intangible resources the corporation has to do everything possible to secure and supply water, so that farmers do not experience inconvenience due to water shortages.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.