"The village is burning down, please help"... Donations pour in from Andong residents' tears

Donations Pour In During Live Broadcast After Wildfire Victims' Tearful Plea
"Desperate for Rain"... Netizens Continue to Show Support

SOOP Screenshot

"The residents are all dying, and the village is burning down. Please help us. Really, I am begging you."

Three days ago, a wildfire broke out in Uiseong-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, and on the afternoon of the 25th, it rapidly spread across Andong City driven by strong winds. Through a live broadcast by a YouTuber, a desperate plea from an Andong resident was conveyed, evoking deep sympathy. Viewers poured in donations and sent messages of support.

On the 25th, Mr. A, who runs the YouTube channel 'Mudaeppo Joseonggeun,' conducted a live broadcast from the Andong wildfire site via the internet broadcasting platform SOOP (formerly AfreecaTV). In the video, Jeong Geun-su, president of the Saemaeul Leaders Association in Gilan-myeon, Andong City, appeared and reported the urgent situation. President Jeong appealed, "We are severely lacking supplies, so although it is shameless, please help us," adding, "We are short of everything, including meals."

He continued, "We need about 700 meals per day, but if this becomes a long-term battle, from the 27th onward, we will lack the capacity and personnel to prepare," and then broke down in tears. President Jeong sobbed, "I am truly, truly begging you. Please help us. The residents are dying, and the village is burning down. Please help us. I am really, really begging you. It is difficult, but please help us. We are doing our best, but it is not enough."

Firefighters are extinguishing the fire as the wildfire in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk spreads to Gilan-myeon, Andong, continuing to expand for the second day on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News

Viewers who watched President Jeong’s live broadcast in real time continuously sent donations via star balloons, raising about 2 million won by 3 p.m. on the 25th. YouTuber A stated, "All the donation money will be used to provide dinner for firefighters and public officials at the Gilan-myeon Fire Headquarters."

Netizens who saw the broadcast responded with comments such as, "I sent a small amount of money," "Stay strong. Seeing you cry breaks my heart," "The positive function of internet broadcasting," "The situation on site looks even more tragic," "The village where they lived their whole lives is burning down. How painful it must be for everyone," "They can’t even go home, it’s really tough," "Have we ever wished for rain this desperately?" and "Heaven, please don’t abandon Korea."

Meanwhile, the Korea Forest Service announced at 4 p.m. on the 25th that it had raised the national wildfire disaster crisis alert to the 'Severe' level for all regions nationwide. The Korea Forest Service explained that large wildfires that occurred on the 21st in Sancheong, Gyeongnam, on the 22nd in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk, and in Ulju, Ulsan, have not yet been fully extinguished, and with additional wildfires breaking out nationwide, the crisis alert was raised to mobilize full-scale response to the wildfire disaster.

In regions where the wildfire crisis alert is raised to 'Severe,' at least one-quarter of affiliated public officials (employees) and half of affiliated public service personnel must be deployed and on standby. Military unit firing exercises are restricted, and entry permits to controlled mountain areas are suspended. Forest Disaster Control Officer Lee Yong-kwon said, "Due to hot and dry weather, wildfires are occurring simultaneously nationwide, and with strong winds, even small carelessness can lead to large wildfires spreading. We will maintain close cooperation with local governments, fire headquarters, military units, police, and other related agencies, and mobilize all available resources to extinguish the wildfires."