• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5B
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• pp.505-514
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• 2008

The Imjin and North Han River are sharing watershed between South and North Korea. In Imjin river basin, the April 5th dam and Hwanggang dam which are already constructed or on constrution, causes problems in water supply in the downstrean area. At the same time, in the North Han River basin, the Imnam dam is being operated for diversion to Anbyeon Youngman Hydropower Plant and it gives rise to conflict between South and North by reducing streamflow in the North Han River of South Korean side. Therefore, a cooperative framework needs to be built for settling the pending issues. In this study, based on the theory of conflict resolution in the international shared river basin, the practical alternatives are suggested. These approaches are expected to help in preparing reasonable resolution ahead of seeking political decision. Also, in order to preparing consistent and reasonable river management measures, the South-North shared river management commission was suggested.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.647-655
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• 2019

Although problems such as river management and flood control have occurred continuously in the Imjin and Bukhan river basin, which are shared by South and North Korea, efforts to manage the basin have not been carried out consistently due to limited cooperation. As the magnitude and frequency of hydrologic phenomena are changing due to global climate change, it is necessary to prepare countermeasures for the rainfall variation in the shared river basin area. Therefore, this study was aimed to project future changes in extreme precipitation in South-North Korea shared river basin by applying 13 Global Climate Models (GCM). Results showed that the probability rainfall compared to the reference period (1981-2005) of the shared river basin increased in the future periods of 2011-2040, 2041-2070 and 2071-2100 under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP)4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. In addition, the rainfall frequency over the 20-year return period was increased in all periods except for the future periods of 2041-2070 and 2071-2100 under the RCP4.5 scenario. The extreme precipitation in the shared river basin has increased both in magnitude and frequency, and it is expected that the region will have a significant impact from climate change.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.305-314
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• 2011

Imnam Dam construction and inter-basin water transfer use by North Korea have caused several problems including water resources management aspects in the downstream reach of North Han River. Therefore, cooperative works between North and South Korea are required to make a reasonable management situation of the shared river for water quantity and quality. However, efforts by the North and the South has done not enough to achieve equitable water use in the shared river. This study analyzes main impacts caused by Imnam Dam in key sectors for reviewing water use right regarded as the most important decision-making criterion in international rivers. As the results, water deficit by Imnam Dam is calculated at 379 million $m^3$/year when river drought year for water assessment is set in 1978 in the Han River basin. Additionally hydropower production is decreased by 234 GWh/year in exclusive hydropower generation dams. In respective of water quality, BOD concentration is increased by 0.065 ppm at Sambongli in North Han River. Finally it is identified that unequitable water use based on the absolute territorial sovereignty by North Korea in North Han River has directly and indirectly affected severe impacts to South Korea as the downstream user.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.315-325
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• 2011

There are not many practical measures to solve a water conflict, when a hydromorphologically asymmetric situation in international rivers exists whereby downstream users may not affect upstream users but upstream users do cause downstream impacts. In taking advantage of this merit, North Korea has built Imnam Dam in upstream of North Han River and uses water for trans-basin hydropower generation. As an impact of this dam South Korean' area as a downstream user has been suffered from water deficit and dry river. It is very critical for South Korea to solve a key problem such as water allocation for water supply and river maintenance. Therefore, this study is aim to suggest alternatives for equitable water allocation in consideration of special circumstances between the South and the North. For this, reviewing the allocation methods of water rights is carried using lessons obtained from international river cases. The results show that the minimum desired streamflow is calculated at 7.3 $m^3/sec$; water budget analysis by the equitable distribution of streamflows at the border line of the North Han River, the difference in water supply deficiency is at 3.7 $m^3/sec$ before and after Imnam Dam; in the determined distribution method, the difference in water deficiency is at 11.38 $m^3/sec$. These results show that South Korea should be secured 11.38 $m^3/sec$ from North Korean's Imnam Dam in respective of water use right and sound river maintenance.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.194-208
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• 2021

The Hwanggang Dam in North Korea is located upstream of the Imjin River which is a shared river in the border area. It is known to have a reservoir capacity of 350 million cubic meters and releases a discharge primarily for generating hydroelectric power and partly for transferring to the Yesung River basin. Due to the supply of water from the Hwanggang Dam to another basin, the flow of the Imjin River has decreased, which has a negative impact on the water supply, river maintenance flow, water quality, and ecological environment in Korea. However, due to the special national security issue of the South and North Korea border region, the hydrological data is not shared, and the operation method of the Hwanggang Dam is unknown, so there is a risk of damage to the southern part of the downstream area. In this study, the monthly diversion as the long-term runoff concept was derived through the calibrated hydrological model based on optical remotely sensed Images and water balance analysis. As a result of the water balance analysis from January 2019 to September 2021, the average diversion of the Hwanggang Dam was 29.2m³/s, which is equivalent to 922 million tons per year and 45.6% of the annual inflow of 2.02 million tons into the Hwanggang Dam.