Introduction of a drought forecasting/ warning system and improvement methods in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

With the occurrence of repeated drought damage, there has been a need for government-level R&D support for scientific drought management from the mid-to long-term perspective in Korea. Because government agencies related to drought such as the Korea Meteorological Administration, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Ministry of Public Safety and Security, have been independently performing drought forecasting-warning, the president decided to establish integrated forecasting-warning system for drought prevention and effective drought management. In the present study, accordingly, we introduce the integrated drought forecasting-warning system in Korea. The Ministry of Public Safety and Security, as control tower, announces integrated drought information (Meteorological, Living and Industrial, Agricultural drought) to the public including investigation of local government situation. An announcement cycle is early of the month and target region is 167 provinces. Verification of drought information provided by each ministry was used by RDI. Final research purpose develops National Drought Information Integrated Forecasting-warning Technique Development. We expect that such efforts will be able to minimize drought damages and allow for pre-emptive prevention of droughts.