There are various types of water pollution in Korea. In particular, Korea's water pollution dilemma becomes more evident every spring as average temperature continues to move higher.

Deteriorating global climate conditions have raised new concerns involving our water ways. In particular, rising water temperature is starting to threaten Korea's fishing industry.  There's been several incidents in recent years near the southern coast of Korea where several fishing farms were hit with sudden death of fishes due to 'red tide'.   Red tide occurs when rising water temperature causes fresh water algae to grow rapidly, turning the water color to red or brown. We need to also address that the core cause of red tide is directly linked to growing number of industrial and household wastes.

Government has not been able to resolve red tide problem yet.  Meantime, damages are growing as spread of red tide to neighboring costal regions is much quicker that expected. In 2013 alone, total damages to Korea's fishing farms was approx $60million, killing about 27 million farm fishes, according to the Red Tide Laboratory at Seoul National University.

Although there is no clear solution on red tide problem, researchers recommend to minimize use of artificial food supply and regularly use liquefied oxygen to help reduce red tide.  Nature does have the ablility to self purify the waters as time passes by, but this alone faces limitations

as industries and households continue to unleash wastes at a uncontrollable rate. 

For now, there is no way to get rid of red tide completely and government plans to fight the red tide early when it is detected in specific areas to prevent its spread to other waters in the region. As part of remedy, the government has prepared significant supply of red clay which is used to help reduce spread of red tide. Furthermore, equipment used for scattering the clay and water purification boats along the channel where the red tide is likely to flow are being prepared.

 

Image Source : Yonhap News, Joongang Ilbo