North Korean soldiers scouted border before dam discharge: report

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South Korean soldiers search for missing people swept away by sudden rising water in the Imjin River near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Yeoncheon, about 62 km (39 miles) north of Seoul, on September 6, 2009. South Korean police said six campers reported missing in the north of the country may have been swept away by a huge wave released by a North Korean dam further upriver. Photo courtesy AFP.

NKorean dam was full of water before discharge: report
US and South Korean authorities on Sunday confirmed North Korean claims that a dam had been full of water immediately before a sudden discharge that sent a wall of water across the border, killing six people, a report said. Seoul's Yonhap news agency, quoting an unnamed government source, said satellite photos showed the water level had risen to the top of the North's Hwanggang Dam before it opened the floodgates on September 6. The explanation tallies with accounts by the North, which said there had been a sudden surge in the dam's water level that had required an "emergency" release. Seoul officials had previously questioned the explanation, saying there had been no heavy rain in the North in recent days. "It appears that the intent was to drain water," a high-level government source told Yonhap on Sunday, saying US and South Korean authorities could see from satellite photos that the dam had been full of water immediately before the discharge. However, exactly why the North Koreans released such a huge volume of water in a single discharge before dawn was still being investigated, the source said. Seoul said 40 million cubic metres (52 million cubic yards) of water was released from the Hwanggang Dam into the Imjin river, which flows down into South Korea before reaching the Yellow Sea. The discharge created a deadly flashflood downstream and swept away six South Koreans, including an eight-year-old child, camping on the riverbank. The incident has stirred anger in the South and threatens to damage relations that had lately been improving after more than a year of hostility. Seoul has demanded an apology and an explanation from Pyongyang. Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek told parliament Wednesday the discharge was intentional but the motive was still being studied. Seoul has raised fears in the past of a "water attack" from Pyongyang. A company of South Korean troops was at that time camping on the riverside as part of a field drill and a tank was submerged in the flash flood. The incident follows overtures from the North last month including the release of five South Korean detainees and the easing of border restrictions.

by Staff Writers
Seoul (AFP) Sept 12, 2009
North Korean soldiers scouted the inter-Korean border a day before the North released millions of tonnes of water from a dam, killing six South Koreans, news reports said Saturday.

Military officials have told legislators that about 10 North Korean soldiers left their observation post and came south close to the military demarcation line dividing the two countries, Yonhap news agency said.

"They reconnoitred the area for about two hours before they returned to the North," a lawmaker told Yonhap.

The North on Sunday discharged millions of tonnes of water from a dam into a cross-border river, which killed six South Koreans camping downstream.

The incident has stirred anger in the South and threatens to damage relations which had lately been improving after more than a year of hostility.

A company of South Korean troops was at that time camping on the riverside as part of a field drill and a tank was submerged in the flash flood.

"The North might have released the dam water in order to cause troubles for the South Korean military troops," the lawmaker said.

The move might also be aimed at hampering construction work downstream in the South to build a dam, he said, adding military authorities were checking whether the reconnaissance was linked to the flash flood.

North Korea has yet to respond to the South's call for an apology. On Monday it blamed a sudden surge in the dam's water level for the "emergency" release and promised to give prior warning of future discharges.

But officials here said there had been no heavy rain in the North in recent days to explain the need for a release of water.

Seoul said 40 million cubic metres (52 million cubic yards) of water was released from the Hwanggang Dam into the Imjin river, which flows down into South Korea before reaching the Yellow Sea.

Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek told parliament Wednesday the discharge was intentional but the motive was still being studied.

Seoul has raised fears in the past of a "water attack" from Pyongyang.

The incident follows several peace overtures from the North last month. It freed five South Korean detainees, eased border curbs, sent envoys for talks with President Lee Myung-Bak and proposed a new round of family reunions.

The unification ministry said it hoped the reunions, of relatives divided since the 1950-1953 war, would go ahead late this month despite the flood.

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