Gangwon-do Provides 'Special Grants' to Heavy Rain Damage Areas... Government Declares Hoengseong-gun a 'Special Disaster Zone'

9 Cities and Counties Including Hongcheon-gun and Hoengseong-gun Selected for Special Grant Aid
Emergency Repairs Completed Before Chuseok... Disaster Relief Funds Distributed by Region

Heavy Rain Damage Site in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon Province [Hoengseong-gun]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Gangwon Province will provide 800 million KRW in emergency restoration funds to 9 cities and counties within the province, including Hongcheon and Hoengseong, which suffered significant damage from the heavy rains between August 8 and 17.

According to the province on the 23rd, approximately 300 million KRW will be allocated to Hoengseong County, which experienced the most severe damage, and 150 million KRW to Hongcheon County. Emergency restoration funds will be distributed proportionally based on the damage amounts by city and county (excluding those with minor damage).

The restoration funds will be used for emergency repairs of damaged roads, rivers, and landslides, as well as disaster relief efforts for affected residents and other disaster recovery expenses incurred by local governments.

The province plans to complete emergency restoration before Chuseok and encourage each city and county to provide disaster relief payments to residents whose private properties were damaged. Any shortfall will be covered first by the provincial relief fund.

Meanwhile, the government has declared Hoengseong County a special disaster area and will support 50-80% of the local government’s share of the restoration costs.

The criteria for declaring a special disaster area are set according to the financial independence of the local government, and Hoengseong County qualified as the damage exceeded 6 billion KRW.

In special disaster areas, the government supports over 30 items including restoration costs for residential buildings, exemption of high school tuition fees, loans and repayment deferrals for farmers, foresters, and fishers, and tenant subsidies.

Previously, Governor Kim Jin-tae of Gangwon Province requested the government to declare special disaster areas for the affected cities and counties within the province. The government declared 8 cities, counties, and districts nationwide, including Hoengseong County in Gangwon Province, and 3 towns, townships, and neighborhoods as special disaster areas.

Park Dong-joo, Director of the Disaster Safety Office, stated, "We will actively respond to the central joint investigation, which will be established and operated from the 25th, to ensure that the affected cities and counties within the province, including Hoengseong County, become eligible for national treasury support."