North Korea releases water from border dam without prior notice

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Published: 12 Oct. 2025, 12:49 Updated: 12 Oct. 2025, 17:50

Thick fog blankets the area around the Imjin River railroad bridge in Paju, Gyeonggi on Oct. 1. [YONHAP]

North Korea has released water from a dam north of the inter-Korean border without giving prior notice to the South, local authorities said Sunday.

The water level at the Pilseung Bridge, the northernmost point of the Imjin River in South Korea, had risen to 1 meter (3.2 feet) around midnight, according to Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi and the operator of the Gunnam Dam.

An official from the Gunnam Dam notified Yeoncheon County at 3:50 a.m. that North Korea appeared to be releasing water from the Hwanggang Dam, located upstream of the Imjin River, without prior notice, a county official said.

As a water level of 1 meter requires the evacuation of visitors in the river area, Gyeonggi and Yeoncheon County issued text alerts urging visitors and nearby residents to evacuate.

The water level has continued to rise, reaching 1.7 meters as of 6:20 a.m., according to authorities.

In the past, North Korea's unannounced water releases have threatened the safety of residents in South Korea's border areas.

Yonhap