ACT ON FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION MEASURES FOR URBAN RIVER BASINS

Article 1(Purpose) #

The purpose of this Act is to prevent flood damage in urban river basins by appropriately responding to large-scale floods caused by climate change and urbanization.

Article 2(Definitions) #

The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:

1. The term “urban flooding” means inundation caused by the overflow of an urban river due to flooding or by the inadequate drainage of rainfall within an urban area:

2. The term “flood damage” means loss of life, injury, or property damage caused by urban flooding;

3. The term “urban river” means a river (referring to a river defined in subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the River Act; hereinafter the same shall apply) that flows through or adjacent to an urban area defined in subparagraph 1 of Article 6 of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act;

4. The term “designated urban river” means an urban river where significant flood damage has occurred or is expected to occur due to climate change and urbanization, making it impracticable to prevent damage by ordinary flood control measures, such as river maintenance alone;

5. The term "flood prevention facilities" means the following facilities installed to prevent flood damage;

a. Facilities for stabilizing watercourses specified in subparagraph 3 a of Article 2 of the River Act;

b. Facilities for regulating river water levels specified in subparagraph 3 b of Article 2 of the River Act;

c. Sewer pipelines defined in subparagraph 6 of Article 2 of the Sewerage Act;

d. Sewage retention facilities defined in subparagraph 10 of Article 2 of the Sewerage Act;

e. Other facilities prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 3(Responsibilities of the State and local governments) #

(1) The State and local governments shall bear the responsibility to protect the lives, bodies, and property of citizens and major infrastructure facilities from urban flooding and shall endeavor to prevent various other accidents.

(2) Citizens shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the duties of the State and local governments related to the prevention of and countermeasures against flood damage and shall endeavor to prevent flood damage to buildings, facilities, and other property that they own or use.

Article 4(Relationship to other statutes) #

Except as otherwise provided in other statutes, this Act shall apply to measures for the prevention of urban flood damage.

Article 5(Basic principles) #

The prevention of flooding damage in urban river basins shall be implemented in accordance with the following basic principles:

1. Policies for the prevention of, and preparedness against, urban flooding, if established, shall take into account climate change;

2. If serious flood damage is anticipated due to high population density, the concentration of infrastructure, or other similar reasons, efforts shall be made to install flood prevention facilities, taking into account past maximum rainfall and other relevant factors;

3. Forecasting systems and response measures shall be established in preparation for urban flooding.

Article 6(Formulation of master plans for flood damage prevention in designated urban rivers) #

(1) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall formulate a master plan for flood damage prevention in designated urban river basins on a 10-year basis (hereinafter referred to as "master plan"), which includes the following; in such cases, a master river plan under Article 25 of the River Act, a master plan for sewerage maintenance under Article 6 of the Sewerage Act, and other relevant plans shall be taken into account: <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

1. Objectives and implementation strategies of the master plan;

2. Current status of flood control and regional characteristics;

3. Design flood discharge for the prevention of flood damage;

4. Matters regarding the coordinated maintenance of flood prevention facilities for the allocation of flood discharge;

5. Matters regarding the maintenance of designated urban rivers, etc.;

6. Matters regarding the application of design standards for flood prevention facilities within the basin;

7. Matters regarding the management of urban flood forecasting and related information;

8. Matters regarding cost estimation and financing plans;

9. Other matters prescribed by Presidential Decree for the prevention of flood damage.

(2) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall review the feasibility of a master plan every 5 years from the date of its formulation and, if necessary, modify the plan. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) When intending to formulate or modify a master plan, the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall have a prior consultation with the head of the relevant central administrative agency and the relevant Special Metropolitan City Mayor, Metropolitan City Mayor, Special Self-Governing City Mayor, Do Governor, or Special Self-Governing Province Governor (hereinafter referred to as "Mayor/Do Governor"), and shall refer the plan to the relevant basin water management committee under Article 20 of the Framework Act on Water Management (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee") for deliberation; provided, this shall not apply to the modification of any minor matters prescribed by Presidential Decree. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(4) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall publicly notify a master plan formulated or modified under paragraphs (1) and (2), as prescribed by Presidential Decree, and notify the head of the relevant central administrative agency and the relevant Mayor/Do Governor of such plan. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

Article 7(Relationship to other plans) #

(1) A master plan shall be formulated within the scope of a master plan for national water management under Article 27 of the Framework Act on Water Management and a comprehensive basin water management plan under Article 28 of that Act.

(2) The formulation or modification of a master plan shall be deemed to constitute the formulation of a master river plan under Article 25 of the River Act, the establishment of sewerage maintenance measures under Article 4-3 (3) of the Sewerage Act, or the modification of the details corresponding to such master plan.

Article 8(Formulation of action plans) #

(1) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, or a Mayor/Do Governor and the head of a Si/Gun/Gu (hereinafter referred to as the "head of a local government") shall formulate and implement an action plan (hereinafter referred to as "action plan") that includes the following, to conduct flood prevention facility projects, etc., in designated urban river basins under their jurisdiction, in accordance with the relevant master plan: <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

1. Drawings and specifications and the financing plan necessary for project implementation;

2. Project implementers and project period;

3. Other matters necessary for project implementation as prescribed by Presidential Decree.

(2) When formulating or modifying an action plan under paragraph (1), the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment or the head of a local government shall publicly notify such plan, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. In such cases, public notice under Articles 27 (3) and 30 (7) of the River Act and Articles 11 (2) and (7) and 16 (2) of the Sewerage Act shall be deemed to have been provided. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) When formulating an action plan for a project receiving national subsidies, the head of a local government shall have a prior consultation with the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment regarding financing and fund utilization. <Amended Oct. 1, 2025>

Article 9(Application of more stringent design standards and design frequencies) #

(1) When the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment formulates a master plan or an action plan, the Minister may apply more stringent design standards and design frequencies for flood prevention facilities than those prescribed by the relevant statutes and regulations. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) When the head of a local government formulates a master plan or an action plan, the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may recommend that the head apply more stringent design standards and design frequencies for flood prevention facilities than those prescribed by the relevant statutes and regulations. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) The details regarding the procedures for applying more stringent design standards and design frequencies under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 10(Utilization of flood prevention facilities) #

Flood prevention facilities installed in designated urban river basins may be utilized for other purposes to the extent that such utilization does not interfere with their function of preventing flood damage.

Article 11(Expropriation or use of land) #

(1) The State or a local government may expropriate or use land owned by others, if necessary to conduct a project under the relevant action plan in a designated urban river basin.

(2) Where land owned by others is expropriated or used under paragraph (1), public notice of project approval under Article 22 of the Act on Acquisition of and Compensation for Land for Public Works Projects shall be deemed to have been provided on the date of public notice of the relevant action plan.

(3) Except as provided in this Act, Articles 25 through 48, 61 through 75, 75-2, 76 through 78, 78-2, and 79 through 92 of the Act on Acquisition of and Compensation for Land for Public Works Projects shall apply mutatis mutandis to the expropriation, utilization, etc. of land, etc.

Article 12(Post management of flood prevention facility projects) #

(1) The head of a local government shall compile the implementation performance of flood prevention facility projects and submit a report thereon to the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. In such cases, the report for projects with poor implementation performance shall include the reasons therefor, follow-up measures, and other relevant matters. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall review a report on the implementation performance of flood prevention facility projects submitted under paragraph (1) and may recommend improvements or request corrections from the head of a local government if deemed necessary for the smooth implementation of such projects. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) Upon receipt of a recommendation for improvement or a request for correction under paragraph (2), the head of a local government shall take measures necessary therefor unless there is good cause.

(4) Except as provided in paragraphs (1) through (3), matters necessary for the post management of flood prevention facility projects and other relevant measures shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 13(Informatization of flood damage prevention materials) #

(1) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may establish and operate an information system for the efficient utilization of materials necessary for flood damage prevention in designated urban river basins. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may request the head of the relevant agency to submit materials if necessary for the establishment and operation of the information system under paragraph (1). In such cases, the head shall comply with such request unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

Article 14(Establishment and operation of water-related disaster control center) #

(1) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may establish and operate a water-related disaster control center (hereinafter referred to as "control center") to perform tasks, such as collecting and disseminating water-related disaster information and managing urban flooding and flood damage situations. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may request the head of the relevant agency to submit materials if necessary for the establishment and operation of a control center. In such cases, the head shall comply with such request unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) Matters necessary for the establishment and operation of a control center shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 15(Issuance of urban flood forecasts) #

(1) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may issue urban flood forecasts for each basin if necessary to prevent or mitigate flood damage caused by urban flooding. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may establish and operate an urban flood forecasting center involving relevant experts and other relevant persons for the issuance of urban flood forecasts under paragraph (1). <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(3) Matters necessary for the establishment and operation of urban flood forecasts and an urban flood forecasting center under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 16(Research and development) #

The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may establish and implement policy measures that include the following, to facilitate research and development for flood damage prevention: <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

1. Surveys and research on technology related to flood prevention facilities and urban flood forecasting under Article 15 (hereinafter referred to as "urban flood prevention technology");

2. Collection, analysis, and provision of information related to urban flood prevention technology;

3. Development and dissemination of evaluation techniques for urban flood prevention technology;

4. Development of professional human resources for urban flood prevention technology and international cooperation, etc.

Article 17(International cooperation) #

The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may formulate and implement various policy measures to promote international cooperation and overseas expansion by participating in activities, such as information exchange, technological cooperation and standardization, and joint survey and research with foreign countries and international organizations regarding flood damage prevention. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

Article 18(Technical and financial support) #

The Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment may provide necessary technical and financial support to the head of a local government to prevent flood damage. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

Article 19(Delegation of authority) #

(1) Part of the authority of the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment under this Act may be delegated to the head of an affiliated agency, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>

(2) Part of the authority of a Mayor/Do Governor under this Act may be delegated to the head of a Si/Gun/Gu, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.