Yeongsangang River

Yeongsangang River (136 kilometers) is the shortest of the four major rivers in Korea. The river starts from Yongchubong Peak (560m) located in Yong-myeon in Damyang, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. It runs through Damyang, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Naju, and Yeongam and eventually flows into the Yellow Sea in Mokpo through the estuary bank. The river also faces some environmental challenges, including extreme weather events that cause flooding, leading to ecosystem loss and habitat degradation. In December 1981, a dam was built and the damage was significantly reduced. The government has also introduced the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project in 2009 with the objective of restoring the rivers while achieving regional development. Under this project, a significant amount of budget was allocated for resolving problems plaguing the Yeongsangang River.