Gurye-gun Sends Off Military Soldiers Supporting Emergency Flood Recovery Efforts

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yuk Miseok] On the 26th, Jeonnam Gurye-gun announced that it held a farewell ceremony at Gurye Public Stadium on the 25th for the military personnel returning after completing emergency recovery in the Gurye area, which suffered massive heavy rain damage on the 7th and 8th.

The farewell ceremony was attended by Kim Soon-ho, Governor of Gurye-gun, Yoo Si-moon, Chairman of the Gurye County Council, other Gurye-gun officials, So Young-min, Commander of the 31st Infantry Division, Kim Dong-hwan, Commander of the 95th Regiment, and battalion commanders of each unit.

To encourage the soldiers boarding the vehicles, Gurye-gun office employees came out onto the streets, unfurled encouragement banners, and gave a warm send-off. Due to social distancing level 2, only a minimal number of people attended.

The Director of the Safety Policy Division of Jeollanam-do presented plaques of appreciation and commendations to the 7th Airborne Special Forces Brigade, 201st Special Forces Brigade, and battalions and battalion commanders of the Marine Corps 1st Division, who devotedly participated in flood recovery.

Governor Kim Soon-ho presented plaques and letters of appreciation to four battalion commanders from four units, including the 11th Airborne Special Forces Brigade.

Division Commander So Young-min awarded commendations to four soldiers who contributed to flood recovery.

In his farewell remarks, Governor Kim Soon-ho said, “During the devastating flood that caused enormous damage to the Gurye-gun area and plunged the residents into despair, the greatest help and hope came from the national military personnel. I am deeply grateful that the soldiers excellently completed recovery work, which ordinary people would find difficult to even attempt under the scorching heat.”

Division Commander So Young-min said, “I highly commend the soldiers who safely and faithfully carried out the recovery mission in Gurye. Although we are returning early due to the typhoon, if further recovery support is needed, we will provide additional assistance.”

From August 11, the units involved in civilian support for flood damage in the Gurye area included subordinate units of the 31st Infantry Division, two battalions of the 7th Airborne Special Forces Brigade, two battalions of the 11th Airborne Special Forces Brigade, one battalion of the 201st Special Forces Brigade, and one battalion of the Marine Corps 1st Division, with a total of about 12,000 personnel participating in recovery work.

In particular, the Marine Corps 1st Division camped in Gurye and deployed 19 pieces of equipment of six types, including excavators, trucks, and disinfection vehicles, for 10 days.

The military personnel engaged in flood recovery mainly cleaned up the Gurye-eup 5-day Market, residential areas, commercial buildings, and livestock farms in the Yangjeong district, and focused on recovery tasks difficult for civilians, such as dismantling vinyl greenhouses in the Muncheok-myeon and Masan-myeon areas, successfully completing their missions.