N. Korea says massive dam discharge was unintentional

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday a sudden surge in water
prompted a massive discharge by one of its dams on Sunday, as it responded
unusually quickly to Seoul's protest that six South Koreans downriver were killed
or went missing over the weekend.
In a message sent through an inter-Korean hotline, North Korea also promised it
will give "prior notices to the South" if dam water is released in the future,
the Unification Ministry said in a statement.
Some 40 million tons of water from North Korea's Hwanggang Dam, located about
40km north of the central inter-Korean border, flowed into South Korea early
Sunday morning, sweeping away six people who were camping or fishing along the
Imjin River that runs through the border in the west.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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