The South Korean government has expressed regret over North Korea’s failure to give prior notice before discharging water from the Hwanggang Dam southwards on the Imjin River.

A spokesman for the Unification Ministry told a regular news briefing Monday that in line with international customs, it is appropriate for a country sharing a river with another country to give prior notice before releasing water.

The spokesman demanded that North Korea take appropriate measures, noting the two Koreas’ agreement from the early 2000s on North Korea discharging water from the Hwanggang Dam.

He also said that the two Koreas discussed discharging water southwards down the Imjin after North Korea released millions of tons of water from the Hwanggang Dam in 2009, which created floods and killed six South Korean campers.

The ministry spokesman added that related agencies will be closely monitoring North Korea’s moves, since the North is expected to release more water to the south due to heavy rains in some regions.