November Heavy Snowfall After 117 Years, Yeoju-si Declared a Special Disaster Area

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Includes Pyeongtaek-si, Yongin-si, Icheon-si, Anseong-si, Hwaseong-si in Gyeonggi-do and Eumseong-gun in Chungbuk

Yeoju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Chung-woo) announced on the 19th that it was declared a special disaster area after suffering damages worth 18 billion KRW due to record-breaking heavy snowfall from November 26 to 28. Yeoju received 34.5 cm of snow, and due to the nature of the snow damage, private facilities such as vinyl greenhouses, flower farms, ginseng cultivation houses, and livestock barns were heavily affected.

Lee Chung-woo, Mayor of Yeoju, and other officials are watching the government announcement declaring the area a special disaster zone due to record-breaking heavy snowfall from November 26 to 28, causing damage worth 18 billion won. Provided by Yeoju City

Yeoju City judged that the damage amount would exceed the special disaster area declaration threshold (12.25 billion KRW) and requested the declaration of a special disaster area in early December. On the 18th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety declared Yeoju City, along with Pyeongtaek, Yongin, Icheon, Anseong, Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, and Eumseong County in Chungbuk Province, as special disaster areas for prompt recovery and relief efforts.

The areas declared as special disaster zones will receive additional national treasury support, and affected residents will benefit from indirect aids such as deferral of national and local tax payments and reductions in public utility fees. Yeoju City stated that it is actively promoting these benefits to ensure that affected farmers do not miss out on the support.

Yeoju City expressed, “We hope that this special disaster area declaration will help residents recover their daily lives and return to their livelihoods,” and added, “Yeoju City will do its best to prevent further damage caused by additional snowfall and to ensure that support related to the heavy snow proceeds without any setbacks.”