A group of fishermen from Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, claimed Tuesday that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been polluting nearby waters by dumping unpurified sewage water into the Han River, leading to fish mutations.

The fishermen said that water reclamation centers have been illegally dumping wastewater into the Han River and should take responsibility for the contamination.

Foul scent and algal bloom have worsened in the river, especially in the downstream area around the cited facilities. Mutated fish -- with crooked backs, no gills or disfigured scales -- are being found more often now, they claimed.

This is the third time in four years that fishermen from Goyang have called for the local government’s explanation and action over the problem.

In a news report by local broadcaster JTBC, a Seoul government official denied the allegations.

Around 30 fishermen held a press conference on Tuesday on dozens of boats docked at a pier near Haengju Bridge in Goyang and rallied across the river toward the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul.


By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)