Nationwide Heavy Snow, Cold Wave, and Strong Wind Damage Recovery Plan Confirmed

Damage Amount 14.9 Billion Won · Restoration Cost 5.2 Billion Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 13th that it has prepared a recovery plan to support a total of 5.2 billion KRW for areas affected by heavy snow, cold waves, and strong winds from the 21st to the 24th of last month.

This damage is analyzed to have occurred due to heavy snow falling repeatedly in varying intensities, mainly in the western Jeolla region, while cold wave and strong wind warnings were issued across most parts of the country during the mentioned period last year.

In particular, the Jeonbuk area recorded the heaviest snowfall in 17 years, causing damage concentrated on facilities such as vinyl greenhouses and rain shelters that could not withstand the snow load, and combined with the cold wave and strong winds, damage to crops such as vegetables (onions, green onions, etc.) and fruit trees (grapes, blueberries, etc.) was also reported.

The property damage caused by this heavy snow, cold wave, and strong wind was estimated at a total of 14.9 billion KRW, with damage recorded mainly in Jeongeup and Sunchang areas of Jeonbuk, including 2 partially destroyed houses (Jeongeup), 1,471 vinyl greenhouses/67 hectares, 172 livestock sheds, and 52 hectares of crops.

In particular, Ssangchi-myeon in Sunchang, which was declared a special disaster area on the 11th, suffered concentrated damage to agricultural facilities such as vinyl greenhouses and livestock sheds, resulting in damage worth 840 million KRW.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters plans to promptly calculate and support the property damage and recovery costs according to the recovery fund support regulations, and considering the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, local governments will be instructed to promptly provide advance payments for private facility damage support funds, ensuring that all residents in the affected areas can recover from the heavy snow damage and return to normal life.

Lee Sang-min, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated, “We have quickly established a recovery plan to help residents and regions struggling due to this heavy snow damage,” and added, “We will also expedite the financial measures for recovery costs and do our best to restore the affected areas to their original state.”