An 'Etiquette-Breaking' Schedule Without Ministers, Cheong Wa Dae Chiefs, or Governors... President's Visit to 3 Metropolitan Governments in One Day Also Unprecedented
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] "It is unusual to visit Yeongnam, Honam, and Chungcheong all in one day. I estimated the travel distance, and today alone, we will cover 767 km." Kang Min-seok, the Blue House spokesperson, said this on the 12th regarding President Moon Jae-in's visit to the heavy rain damage sites.
On that day, President Moon used a special KTX train to visit the heavy rain damage sites. The itinerary, which sequentially visited the heavy rain damage areas of Hadong in Gyeongnam, Gurye in Jeonnam, and Cheonan in Chungnam, was an unusual schedule for a president to cross three metropolitan autonomous regions in one day.
Officials from the Blue House and relevant government ministries accompanied him, and an impromptu meeting room was set up on the KTX. Due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the number of participants was minimized, but the president's message was clear. He ordered to expedite the declaration of special disaster areas to support the heavy rain damage and also requested consideration of designation at the eup, myeon, and dong levels, not just at the city and county levels.
In the KTX meeting room, President Moon instructed, "Please do your best to ensure that support is provided promptly by designating special disaster areas quickly. If the conditions for designation at the city and county levels are not met when selecting regions, consider detailed designation down to the eup, myeon, and dong levels."
Spokesperson Kang said, "The key point is that this visit to the heavy rain damage areas was a forced march of over nine hours, including travel time back home," adding, "Ministers at the senior level and above were excluded this time. It was a protocol-breaking schedule with only the minimum number of staff at the secretary level accompanying." Kang added, "We formed a team with the minimum number of people. To save time and focus on the site visit, we received reports on the KTX and had boxed meals on the train."
During President Moon's visit to the damage site in Hadong, Gyeongnam, there was some commotion due to the issue of minimizing participants. Members of the National Assembly and provincial councilors from the United Future Party protested that they could not participate in the presidential meeting, and the Blue House explained that the governor of Gyeongnam was also excluded to simplify the onsite personnel.
President Moon visited heavy rain damage areas such as Hwagae Market and met with Hadong County Governor Yoon Sang-gi, village myeonjang and ijang, and the head of the merchants' association to offer consolation. President Moon said, "Hwagae Market is a symbol of Yeongnam and Honam and a place loved by the people, so it is regrettable that it was damaged," adding, "Volunteers are providing their services, which brings hope and encouragement."
Hadong County Governor Yoon Sang-gi said, "There are three dams upstream of the Seomjin River. They released water simultaneously, and when the water was about to arrive, they announced the release. So, we couldn't even move our belongings and only evacuated people."
President Moon said, "I have seen a lot through TV reports, but coming here and seeing it directly, I vividly feel how severe the damage is and how deeply our merchants and residents must be heartbroken."
At the site in Gurye, President Moon also conveyed words of consolation. After hearing the damage situation from the Gurye eupjang and Gurye County Governor in turn, President Moon said, "How devastated the hearts must be as the embankment in our Gurye County was washed away. It must be beyond words," adding, "Still, it is truly fortunate that there were no casualties and that everyone was safely evacuated."
President Moon said, "Just by looking, one can tell that it meets the criteria for a special disaster area," adding, "We will increase the amount of special disaster support and do our best to provide various kinds of support that the government can offer."
President Moon also visited a livestock barn that attracted attention with a photo of cows on top of a building during the heavy rain. A village official said, "About 50% of the cows died. Even the surviving livestock were found dead the next day. The pain of seeing one's children die, it felt like my own children were dying. All the residents are crying. Please help us."
President Moon said, "I empathize. They must have felt devastated seeing their long-time efforts in raising livestock collapse in an instant."
President Moon also visited the heavy rain damage area in Cheonan and comforted the officials. He said, "The affected residents must be in a devastated state, but the volunteers' help is a great comfort to them. I believe others will also come together in different ways to support those affected. The central government will also do its best for recovery."
A local resident said, "Cheonan cucumbers account for 10% of national production and sales, and we are going through tremendous mental anguish over how to maintain that reputation," adding, "Permanent measures are needed, such as river dredging, drainage pump stations, and securing small streams. I hope the president will consider allocating budgets for these."
President Moon said, "I know that what the residents desperately want is support to enable the fastest possible recovery. The government will do its best," emphasizing, "The people are coming together with one heart. So we can definitely overcome this. Just as we did well with COVID-19, we can also overcome natural disasters."
Meanwhile, President Moon did not hide that he had concerns when choosing which heavy rain damage areas to visit.
President Moon said, "When the president visits a site, there are many worries. I hesitate, thinking that I might burden or inconvenience those who are working hard on recovery. But the current situation seems very urgent," adding, "I came here with the hope that it would comfort the residents and also help speed up administrative and financial support."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
![Clutching a Stolen Dior Bag, Saying "I Hate Being Poor but Real"... The Grotesque Con of a "Human Knockoff" [Slate]](https://cwcontent.asiae.co.kr/asiaresize/183/2026021902243444107_1771435474.jpg)
