(LEAD) N. Korea appears to have released water from border dam without prior notice

▲ This undated file photo shows the Imjin River on the south side of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-dam

(LEAD) N. Korea appears to have released water from border dam without prior notice

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SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appeared to have released water from a dam north of the inter-Korean border without giving prior notice to the South, officials said Sunday.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it has been monitoring the Hwanggang Dam, located upstream of the Imjin River, after satellite imagery taken around 11 p.m. Saturday showed signs of water being discharged from the dam.

An official from the Gunnam Dam notified Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province at 3:50 a.m. that North Korea appeared to be releasing water from the Hwanggang Dam without prior notice, a county official said.

The water level at Pilseung Bridge, the northernmost point of the Imjin River in South Korea, had risen to 1 meter around midnight and reached 1.86 meters as of 10:50 a.m., according to Yeoncheon County and the Gunnam Dam operator.

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

The North is presumed to have discharged water to control the border dam's water level as the region has received rainfall since Friday, with additional rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday.

In 2009, the North agreed to provide prior notice before discharging water from the Hwanggang Dam and sent such notices intermittently in 2010 and 2013 but has not issued any since.

Its unannounced water releases have threatened the safety of residents in South Korea's border areas.

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