South Korea revealed that North Korea may have released water from the Hwanggang Dam near the border without prior notice following several days of heavy rain, and is monitoring water levels in the Imjin River, concerned about the safety of residents in the border area.
On 20 July 2026, Yonhap News Agency reported citing a spokesperson from South Korea's Ministry of Environment that North Korea is likely releasing water from the Hwanggang Dam, located at the headwaters of the Imjin River near the inter-Korean border, without prior warning.
The report stated that satellite images taken at 20:47 on Sunday showed water being discharged from the dam. The South Korean Ministry of Environment is tracking the dam's activity through satellite images 2 to 4 times daily. The water release is believed to be due to heavy rainfall in North Korea from Friday through Sunday, with weather forecasts predicting continued rain on Monday and Tuesday.
Throughout the recent monsoon season, North Korea's unannounced water releases from dams have continually posed risks to South Korean residents living near the border. In September 2009, a sudden release caused flash flooding that resulted in six South Koreans dead or missing. Following that incident, North Korea agreed with South Korea in October 2009 to provide advance notice before releasing dam water, issuing warnings intermittently in 2010 and 2013 before eventually stopping these notifications.
Source: Yonhap