Yeongsangang River 영산강

Yeongsangang River (136 kilometers) is one of the four major rivers in Korea. It is the shortest of the four rivers (Hangang River 482 kilometers, Nakdonggang River 522 kilometers, Geumgang River 396 kilometers). The river starts from Yongchubong Peak (560m) located in Yong-myeon in Damyang Country, South Jeolla Province. It runs through Damyang, Gwangju, Naju, and Yeongam and eventually flows into the Yellow Sea at Mokpo through the estuary bank.

The river also faces some environmental challenges and extreme weather events have caused flooding that lead 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.