Kim Young-rok Proposes Declaration of Special Disaster Areas for Heavy Rain Damage in Gangjin, Haenam, Jindo, and Jangheung

Indoor and Outdoor Mask-Wearing Mandate 'Special Quarantine Week' Operated Until the 31st

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, announced on the 12th that he has requested the declaration of special disaster zones for Gangjin, Haenam, Jindo, and Jangheung, which suffered severe damage from heavy rains.

Governor Kim said in a non-face-to-face briefing on heavy rain and COVID-19 quarantine measures that morning, “We will mobilize all capabilities together with city and county governments and related organizations to help the affected residents quickly regain stability and return to their daily lives, and accelerate recovery efforts.”

In the Jeonnam region, from the 5th to 6th, Haenam received up to 531mm of rainfall, with more than 400mm of heavy rain pouring down in Jangheung, Jindo, and Goheung, causing three deaths, landslides, breaches of river and reservoir embankments, and flooding of villages, markets, and fields.

The province plans to promptly provide disaster relief funds to the families of the deceased and support the residents' safety mutual aid insurance, and will ensure that the 65 remaining evacuees currently living in shelters do not experience any inconvenience.

Regarding property damage to residents, the province will provide 2 million KRW for new construction costs, offer low-interest loans up to 200 million KRW for housing improvement projects, and provide 2 million KRW in disaster relief funds for flood-damaged houses requiring repairs.

For the flooded Jindo Jogum Market and surrounding merchants, the province will support 2 million KRW from the provincial disaster relief fund and up to 70 million KRW in business stabilization funds.

Damage to crops and aquaculture farms will be supported through detailed investigations, and deceased livestock will be entrusted to waste disposal companies for processing.

The main government requests include: ▲designating Gangjin, Haenam, Jindo, and Jangheung as ‘special disaster zones’; ▲including damage to crops, forest products, and livestock in the damage amount calculation criteria for special disaster zone designation; ▲increasing recovery support rates for certain items such as vinyl greenhouses and grapes/fruit trees (from 50% to 100%); ▲raising restoration costs for Korean beef and dairy cattle restocking (from 30% to 50%); ▲increasing support rates for aquaculture facilities and marine species such as abalone and flatfish (from 25-33% to 50%); and ▲establishing new standards for abalone shellfish restoration costs.

Additionally, the province plans to request excluding the lowest value in the past five years when calculating crop disaster insurance premiums, raising pre-thinning compensation for four fruit types?apple, pear, persimmon, and astringent persimmon?to 80% of the damage amount, and adding blueberries, aronia, and pomegranates to the list of insured crops.

Alongside this, to prevent the spread of local COVID-19 infections, the province will operate a ‘special quarantine week’ for three weeks until the 31st, mandating mask-wearing indoors and outdoors in all areas.

Governor Kim emphasized, “On the 11th, 19 confirmed cases occurred in one day, showing how quickly a cluster can emerge from a moment of negligence. The rapidly spreading Delta variant and the fact that 64% of confirmed cases are among unvaccinated young people aged 20 to 50 create a dangerous situation, which is why we are implementing the ‘special quarantine week.’”

The allowed number of private gatherings during the special quarantine week is eight people, and an administrative order has been issued requiring vaccinated individuals to wear masks anytime and anywhere.

The capacity for assemblies and events is limited to 100 people.

Key recommendations include ▲free testing for visitors from the metropolitan area within the past seven days; ▲refraining from visiting other regions and immediate testing upon return if visited; ▲weekly testing for workers in entertainment facilities and karaoke rooms; and ▲weekly testing for foreign-employed businesses including both domestic and foreign workers.

Public health center screening clinics will operate until 8 p.m. Anyone with symptoms such as fever must get tested immediately.

Efforts are also being made to enforce quarantine at major tourist sites. On-site inspections of seven types of multi-use facilities?including entertainment venues, restaurants and cafes, academies and private institutes, indoor sports facilities, karaoke rooms, bathhouses, and religious facilities?are being strengthened, with a zero-tolerance policy for violations of quarantine rules.

Governor Kim said, “Vaccination is important, but preventing infection sources in advance is the top priority. During the vacation and school break seasons, I hope everyone minimizes contact with outsiders, including family and relatives, and always wears a mask when meeting others.”