Value of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Han River South Korea 2010-2022

In 2022, the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) for the Han river in South Korea was one milligram per liter. BOD is the amount of oxygen required to break down organic matter in water and is used as an indicator for measuring water quality. According to the source, BOD levels lower than two mg/L mean the water quality is "good" and that there are almost no pollutants present in the water.

Major rivers of South Korea

The Han, Nakdong, Geum, and Yeongsan rivers are considered the four major rivers in South Korea. Nakdong river is the longest of the four, spanning just over 500 kilometers and passing through large cities such as Busan and Daegu. In 2021, the Geum river had the lowest BOD value out of the major rivers at 0.7 mg/L.

Wastewater treatment in South Korea

The number of wastewater treatment facilities in South Korea has increased by over 300 since 2008. Wastewater treatment has become more difficult over time as items such as food waste are washed down kitchen sinks instead of being separated. Gyeonggi reused the highest volume of treated wastewater among domestic provinces in 2020.