The government has unveiled plans to build large multipurpose dams across the nation to respond to severe floods and droughts. 

The environment ministry on Tuesday unveiled a list of 14 candidate sites for such dams, saying there is a need for new dams to reduce damage from floods and droughts and to meet future demand for water with climate crisis becoming a reality. 

Six of the candidate sites are near the Nakdong River, four near the Han River, three close to the Yeongsan and Seomjin Rivers, and one close to the Geum River. 

The ministry said the candidate sites’ storage capacity is expected to stand at three-point-two tons, and the envisioned dams would be able to supply two-and-a-half tons of water annually for residential and industrial purposes.

The ministry plans to devise in the second half of the year a basic design for the candidate sites and break ground around 2027 after conducting feasibility studies. 

Of the 14 sites, five would see the redevelopment of already existing dams. 

The last time a multipurpose dam was constructed at the central government-level was in 2010 when the Mount Bohyeon dam was completed.