Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Water Resources

Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Water Resources Adopted by Decision No. 86 of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly on June 18, 1997, and Revised by Decree No. 350 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, on January 14, 1999. Chapter 1. Fundamentals Article 1. The Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Water Resources is intended to contribute to supplying sufficient amounts of water needed for national economic development and people’s living by establishing a strict system and discipline in prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources. Article 2. Water resources are those which are in certain areas and can be utilized for national economic development and people’s living. Water resources consist of waters of rivers, reservoirs and lakes, mineral water and underground water. Article 3. Prospecting for and developing water resources in a efficient way is an important way of satisfying the demand for water. The State shall ensure that water resources are prospected for actively and developed in a long-term way. Article 4. Conservation of water resources is an undertaking of the whole country and whole society. The State shall pay deep attention to the conservation of water resources and ensure that all the people voluntarily participate in the conservation of water resources. Article 5. Water resources are a precious wealth of the country. The State shall ensure that a proper order of utilizing water resources is established and water resources are put into comprehensive and rational use. Article 6. The State shall ensure that scientific research into water resources is intensified necessary technicians and specialists are trained in al long-term way. Article 7. The State shall develop exchange and cooperation with various countries of the world and international organizations in the fields of prospecting, developing, conserving and using water resources. Chapter 2. Prospecting for and Developing Water Resources Article 8. Prospecting for and developing water resources are an important undertaking to get hold of water resources and increase them. Relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall prospect for and develop water resources in a planned way. Article 9. Prospecting for the water resources on the land surface shall be undertaken by the hydrometerological organs. Where necessary, the organs, enterprises or institutions that manage water resources or relevant scientific research or designing organs may prospect for water resources on the land surface. Prospecting for underground water resources shall be undertaken by the organs that prospect for underground resources or by other relevant organs. Article 10. The organs, enterprises or institutions that prospect for water resources shall equip themselves with instruments and prospect for water resources. The data obtained after prospecting for water resources shall be submitted to the central land and environment conservation guidance organ and other relevant organs. Article 11. The plan for water resources development shall be formulated by the State planning organ. The State planning organ shall formulate the water resources development plan by taking into account the land development master plan and the long-term demand of the national economy for water. Article 12. Approval of water resources development shall be performed by the land and environment conservation organs or other relevant organs. The organs, enterprises or institutions that intend to develop water resources shall submit the application for water resources development to the land and environment conservation organs or other relevant organs. The application for water resources development shall clarify the purposes and scope of water resources development and be accompanied by relevant data. Article 13. Preparing the water resources development design shall be undertaken by relevant designing organs. The designing organs shall prepare the water resources development design based on the natural and geographical conditions and data of the prospected water resources in relevant areas. Article 14. Water resources shall be developed according to the water resources development design. The organ, enterprises or institutions that develop water resources shall undertake water resources development according to design, and introduce advance methods and meet the demand of technical regulations in development work. Chapter 3. Conservation of Water Resources Article 15. Conservation of water resources is essential for conserving the quality and quantity of water preventing the loss of water. Relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall conserve water resources according to the specific feature of the resources. Article 16. Conservation of water resources shall be undertaken by the land and environment conservation organs and other relevant organs, enterprises and institutions. Conservation of water resources in major rives and streams shall be undertaken by the land and environment conservation organs and that of water resources in reservoirs, lakes or medium or small-sized rivers and streams by the organs, enterprises or institutions that manage them. Article 17. The land and environment conservation organs and other relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall create watershed protection forests, repair reservoirs, lakes, wells, pools and other water-drawing facilities and improve rivers and streams in a regular way, and build up necessary water. The water built up shall not be discharged to no purpose. Article 18. Organs, enterprises and institutions shall build sewage treating facilities or sedimentation basins and treat or sediment sewage in a regular way. Sewage that is not treated or sediment shall not be released into rivers, streams, reservoirs or lakes. Article 19. Relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall manage water so that they can safely deal with flooding in rainy seasons. The hydrometerological organs shall inform in time relevant organs, enterprises and institutions of the hydrometerological observation data and weather forecast needed for water management. Article 20. The State shall organize a non-permanent flood control command during rainy seasons so as to ensure unified command over water management. The flood control command shall be organized by the Cabinet. Article 21. Water management in rainy seasons shall be undertaken at the orders of the flood control command. Relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall carry out the orders of the flood control command in time and accurately. The communication organs shall guarantee communication needed for the command over flood control. Article 22. Organs, enterprises and institutions shall have the knowledge every year of those that are vulnerable to floods, take measures before the rainy season and ensure regularized operation of the floodgates, pumping stations and other drainage facilities. The electricity supplying organs shall regularly supply electricity needed for operating the drainage facilities. Article 23. Organs, enterprises and citizens shall refrain from dumping objects, setting up installations or piling up sand or gravels in rivers or streams causing hindrance to the flow of water. Chapter 4. Utilization of water resources Article 24. Putting water resources into proper use is a major guarantee for economizing in water and utilizing it effectively. Organ, enterprises and institutions shall do away with the waste of water and increase the rate of its utilization. Article 25. Water resources shall be utilized according to the plan of water resources utilization. Organs, enterprises and institutions shall have necessary equipment and utilize water in a planned way. Article 26. Organs, enterprises and institutions may utilize water in the areas other than theirs if shortage of water resources in their areas might cause difficulties in the development of the national economy and in the people’s living. In this case, approval shall be obtained from relevant organs. Article 27. Relevant organs, enterprises and institutions shall maintain the water pipes, canals and other water utilization facilities so as to do away with the loss of water. Facilities that cause much loss of water shall not be utilized. Article 28. Organs, enterprises, institutions and citizens shall utilize water according to stipulated purposes. Drinking water shall not be utilized as industrial water without permission of the city management organs. Article 29. Organs, enterprises and institutions shall not export quality water to other countries. In case they intend to export quality water to other countries out of necessity, they shall obtain permission from relevant organs. Article 30. Organs, enterprises, institutions and citizens shall refrain from utilizing water in excess of the standards set for water consumption and utilize water economically. Chapter 5. Guidance and control over prospecting, developing, conserving and utilizing water Article 31. Proper guidance and control over prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water is an important guarantee for utilizing water resources comprehensively and rationally. The State shall ensure that a system of guidance over prospecting, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources is established and control over them is intensified. Article 32. Guidance over prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources shall be undertaken by the central land environment conservation guidance organ and other relevant organs under the unified direction of the Cabinet. The central land and environment conservation guidance organ and other relevant organs shall regularly get acquainted with and guide prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources. Article 33. The land and environment conservation organs and other relevant organs shall build up adequate amounts of water and increase the rate of its utilization by improving its management in conformity with the demand of the developing situation. Article 34. The State planning organ, labor administration organs, materials supply organs and other relevant organs shall supply in time labor, equipment, materials and funds needed for prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources. Article 35. Supervision and control over prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources shall be undertaken by the land and environment conservation organs and relevant supervision and control organs. The land and environment conservation organs and relevant supervision and control organs shall regularly supervise and control prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources. Article 36. In case water is utilized in excess of its consumption plan, water is utilized for other purpose, or sewage is released without being treated or sedimented, utilization of water shall be stopped or the loss compensated for. Article 37. In case organs, enterprises and institutions have brought about grave consequences in prospecting for, developing, conserving and utilizing water resources in violation of this law, their senior officials or the individual citizens to blame for the same guilt shall be subjected to administrative or criminal punishment according to the seriousness of the offences.