Yoon rebukes environment minister for water management failures

President Yoon Suk Yeol rebuked Environment Minister Han Wha-jin over the ministry's poor water management, blamed for deaths and property damage from recent heavy rains.

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday presides over a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

President Yoon Suk Yeol rebuked Environment Minister Han Wha-jin over the ministry's poor water management, blamed for deaths and property damage from recent heavy rains.

During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Yoon told Han that the ministry should “be responsible for protecting people’s lives.” He said ministry needs to adopt "a comprehensive approach to water management" rather than merely imposing restrictions to protect the environment.

The president also told the minister to return water management authority to the Land Ministry if the Environment Ministry cannot handle it, according to officials at the presidential office.

In a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on Wednesday, Han promised to thoroughly implement Yoon’s instructions related to water management.

The Environment Ministry is responsible for managing the country’s water resources.

Previously, duties were split between two ministries. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was in charge of water management projects, while the Ministry of Environment was responsible for water quality.

However, the former Moon Jae-in administration transferred the Land Ministry's responsibilities to the Environment Ministry as part of its so-called water management integration project, citing higher efficiency.

Han said she sees the president’s remarks as a severe reprimand and will “prioritize people’s lives and safety” in water management.

A high-ranking official who attended the Cabinet meeting told the JoongAng Ilbo that the president believes the Environment Ministry should revamp its role and system to respond to the climate crisis.

Han promised to prepare responses to climate change.

“Changes to the environment like the recent heavy rains will occur every year due to climate change,” Han told the JoongAng Ilbo, adding that the ministry will make all efforts to draw up water management measures with climate change in mind.

This is not the first time that Yoon has criticized the Environment Ministry.

During a Cabinet meeting in May, Yoon ordered the sacking of Environment Ministry officials if they “fail to align with the new government’s direction by focusing on denuclearization and environmental policies based on a certain ideology.”

An official from the People Power Party noted that the president’s criticism may be a final warning, stressing that the ministry needs “to transform and get away from ideology.”

Earlier this month, the president appointed Lim Sang-jun, a former secretary to the president for national agenda at the presidential official, as the Environment Ministry’s vice minister. Three office heads at the ministry also resigned last month.

BY PARK TAE-IN, CHON KWON-PIL [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]