Heavy Rain Damage and Emergency Measures Review Meeting
"Maximize Securing Cabbage and Radish with Large Summer Production Variations"
Jeong Hye-jeon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, is holding a briefing on current issues at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 21st, the Presidential Office announced, "To ensure the swift recovery and restoration of the affected areas, we plan to promptly declare special disaster zones so that local governments can reduce their budget burdens and focus on recovery efforts."
On the same day, the Presidential Office held a meeting to review the damage caused by the heavy rain and the corresponding emergency measures, and made this announcement.
First, the government is currently conducting damage assessments to declare additional special disaster zones beyond the five local governments declared on July 15 (Yeongdong, Chungbuk; Nonsan and Seocheon, Chungnam; Wanju, Jeonbuk; and Ipyang-myeon, Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongbuk). Depending on the damage assessment, additional special disaster zones will be promptly declared if necessary.
Furthermore, to prevent additional damage from heavy rain and typhoons that may occur again next week, a pan-governmental recovery support headquarters will be activated. Emergency recovery of damaged facilities will be promptly pursued through the provision of special grants, operation of emergency recovery teams, and other measures.
In addition, temporary housing support will be prioritized for disaster victims at public facilities, and for residents requiring housing, support will be provided for prefabricated and rental housing. Along with disaster relief payments for affected residents in terms of human casualties, housing, and crops, swift insurance payouts will be ensured for subscribers of flood and windstorm insurance.
On the 2nd, customers shopping at Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where vegetable prices are rising due to recent heavy rains flooding the cultivation areas followed by a heatwave. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
The government has also committed to thoroughly responding to early stabilization of agricultural product prices and additional damage caused by heatwaves.
Disaster Insurance Claim Evaluation Period Reduced to Within 3 Days
They plan to stabilize the supply of vegetables such as lettuce, which suffered flood damage, early to prevent disruption in market supply. In particular, to enable rapid restoration of damaged facilities and replanting of crops, the disaster insurance claim evaluation period will be drastically shortened (from within 7 days to within 3 days), and 50% of the estimated insurance payout will be paid in advance.
Starting this year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local governments in major production areas will participate in a newly established growth management council to strengthen on-site guidance to maintain crop conditions.
For crops with significant summer production fluctuations such as napa cabbage and radish, the government has secured the largest-ever stockpile under its management (23,000 tons of napa cabbage and 5,000 tons of radish), and will flexibly supply quantities considering market conditions to stabilize prices. Supply of alternative vegetables such as cabbage, young radish greens, and chives, which have favorable supply conditions, will also be expanded.
Summer fruits such as peaches and grapes were not significantly damaged by the recent heavy rain, and inspections showed no major abnormalities in this year’s apples and pears. The Presidential Office stated, "The livestock deaths that occurred are not significant enough to affect supply, and overall supply conditions remain favorable," adding, "We plan to proactively manage potential risk factors such as the spread of pests and diseases due to hot and humid weather after the rainy season and poultry deaths caused by heatwaves."
The meeting was chaired by Policy Chief Sung Tae-yoon, with participants including Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong, and First Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance Kim Beom-seok, who focused on reviewing the heavy rain damage recovery status and agricultural product supply management measures. Subsequently, Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok chaired a meeting attended by senior secretaries to receive reports on related inspections and discuss additional measures.
Chief Secretary Jeong emphasized, "The government will concentrate all available resources and capabilities to help citizens affected by the heavy rain return to their daily lives as soon as possible," and stressed, "Special disaster zone declarations and emergency recovery must be promptly implemented for practical support and restoration of affected areas, and relief for disaster victims must be thorough."
Finally, he urged careful inspection to ensure there are no areas affected by the heavy rain that could impact the public, such as sharp price increases in major agricultural products, and reminded everyone to maintain emergency response readiness without lowering their guard, as additional typhoons and sudden heavy rains are expected.
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