Peace Dam
Construction began in 1987, in reaction to a perceived threat following the construction of the Imnam Dam by North Korea. The Bukhan River is a tributary of the Han River, and catastrophic scenarios foresaw a flood engulfing the South Korean capital of Seoul in case of an attack by North Korea. Construction was halted before completion, amidst allegations that the threat had been grossly exaggerated. Construction resumed after satellite photographs in 2002 revealed the existence of cracks in the Imnam Dam, triggering fears that it could collapse in case of heavy rains.
In September 2005, North Korea released massive quantities of water without warning, causing serious flooding just south of the border.
The Peace Dam is 601 meters wide, 125 meters tall, and capable of holding 2.61 billion tons of water. Its construction cost $429 million.
References
- ^ "S. Korea completes 'Peace Dam' to block flood attack from North". Archived from the original on 2005-10-30. Retrieved 2005-10-27.
- ^ Choe Sang-hun (August 28, 2007). "Peace Dam Still Waits for the Flood That Never Came". New York Times.
- ^ "Introduction and Facts of Peace Dam".
- ^ "Fears over North Korean dam". BBC News. May 3, 2002.