Ministry of the Interior and Safety to Provide 1 Billion KRW in Special Grants
Plan to Request Special Adjustment Grants for Gyeonggi-do as Well
Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 26th that it had requested the government to declare a special disaster on the 25th to manage the aftermath of the Arisel factory fire, including identifying the victims and supporting their bereaved families.
The city explained that since the majority of the deceased are foreigners, a national response is necessary for the prompt identification of victims and transportation measures for the bereaved families.
Officials from Hwaseong City are holding a Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting chaired by Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun at the city hall on the 26th. [Photo by Hwaseong City]
To ensure the swift resolution of the disaster situation, the city requested financial support from the government, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety decided to provide a special disaster safety grant of 1 billion KRW. The city also plans to request a special adjustment grant from Gyeonggi Province in the future.
According to the city, the 'Integrated Support Center for Victims' established at City Hall has received and processed nine civil complaints as of this day, including the rapid entry and identification of foreign bereaved families and fire damage reports. The center will also provide follow-up support such as industrial accident insurance processing and issuance of immigration visas.
Additionally, the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has organized 13 teams, including a funeral support team, bereaved family support team, and foreigner support team, focusing on assistance for victims and their families. On the afternoon of the 25th, a memorial altar was also set up in the lobby of the City Hall main building.
The funeral support team has completed the transfer and return of autopsies to the National Forensic Service for 22 of the 23 victims, excluding the last one. They plan to support funeral procedures for the bereaved families at five funeral halls in the future.
The bereaved family support team has set up support offices at City Hall and the Modunurim Center, assigning dedicated public officials to each bereaved family to assist with supplies and other requests. The team plans to conduct interviews with the families, identify their needs, and provide guidance on funeral procedures, crematoriums, and columbarium reservations.
The foreigner support team has assisted in collecting DNA samples from 18 individuals by handing over the bereaved families to the police station immediately after their arrival at the airport. They have secured a total of 11 interpreters fluent in Chinese and Lao languages.
On the same day, Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun presided over a meeting of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, instructing, "Support must be thorough enough so that the bereaved families feel no lack," and "Do not be bound by conventions; actively discover and implement support measures."
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