Framework Act on Water Management.

This Framework Act outlines the fundamental principles and policies for water management, which sets up a basic legal framework for efficient, balanced, and sustainable water management. The main objective of the Act is to establish a sustainable water circulation system, ensure stable water supply, protect the water environment, prevent disasters such as droughts and floods, and enhance the quality of life for the citizens.
Article 2 stipulates that water is a public resource obtained through the Earth's water circulation system and must be used rationally by all people, and animals and plants. It grants individuals the right to access water suitable for their needs, ensuring a healthy and pleasant water environment. Additionally, the Act establishes the National Water Management Commission and the Basin Water Management Committees to promote sustainable and integrated water management and to deliberate and decide on important water management issues. These bodies play a crucial role in formulating comprehensive plans for water management, including the development of basin water management plans every ten years. Furthermore, the Act highlights the importance of public participation in the decision-making process through public hearings when formulating or amending national or basin water management plans.
The Act also makes provisions, inter alia, for: water management on a basin-by-basin basis, response to climate change, preservation of the aquatic ecological environment, permission to use water, mediation of water disputes, support for research and technology development, promotion of international cooperation in water management, establishment of the International Center for Water Security and Sustainable Water Resources Management, etc.