Ruling Party and Government Actively Consider Declaring Flood-Damaged Areas as Special Disaster Zones... "Will Respond with Full Effort" (Comprehensive)

On the 10th, Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, Visit Byung-gyu, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and Kim Ju-hyun, Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, attended the emergency party-government meeting to review flood damage countermeasures held at the National Assembly. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The government and the ruling party held an emergency party-government meeting on the 10th to review flood damage countermeasures and decided to actively consider declaring the flood-affected areas as special disaster zones.

The People Power Party held an emergency party-government meeting in the National Assembly in the afternoon with officials from related ministries to discuss this matter together.

Park Hyung-soo, the party floor spokesperson, stated in a briefing after the meeting, "Due to the concentrated heavy rain in the metropolitan area on the 8th and 9th, we will prioritize the rapid emergency restoration of flood-affected areas and support for victims, and respond with full force."

Park added, "Even before establishing a restoration plan, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will provide emergency support for urgent restoration needs, and if conditions are met, actively consider declaring special disaster zones," and "the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will support rapid emergency restoration for the damages incurred so far and strive to prevent secondary damage."

In addition, an integrated volunteer support group combining public and private related organizations will be established, and measures will be taken to enable prompt compensation for flood-damaged vehicles if the owners have automobile insurance. Furthermore, to support households affected by the flood, emergency living stabilization funds and measures such as extension of loan maturity and repayment deferral will be implemented.

For small business owners and small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the flood, the Korea Development Bank and the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund will provide emergency living stabilization funds and extend the maturity of existing loans.

In particular, the People Power Party agreed that large-scale underground storage facilities, such as the rainwater storage facility (deep tunnel) in Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon-gu, should be promptly installed in areas like Gangnam-gu as well. The ruling party strongly requested the government to reflect the budget for such facilities in next year's budget plan, and the government also agreed to actively consider it, according to Park Hyung-soo.

Park said, "Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon previously promoted the installation of drainage pumps in Sinwol-dong, Yangcheon-gu, which were completed, so Yangcheon-gu suffered little damage in this flood," and added, "Such deep drainage facilities should be installed in necessary areas throughout Seoul." He also mentioned that a joint inspection task force (TF) between the government and local governments will be created to inspect and expand drainage pumps nationwide.

Measures to support housing for semi-basement tenants affected by the flood will also be expanded. Park stated, "We requested the government to expand housing support measures for semi-basement tenants who suffered damage from the flood."