Kim Gwangyeol Pledges Full Commitment to Recovery Efforts
Including Aggressive Expenditure Restructuring
On the 17th, Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province held a press briefing in the main conference room on the third floor of the county office, presided over by County Governor Kim Gwangyeol, to announce a comprehensive recovery plan for the damage caused by the recent large-scale wildfire.
This wildfire, which will go down as the worst single incident in history, first ignited in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province on the 22nd of last month. After fluctuating in intensity, it rapidly spread towards Jipum-myeon in Yeongdeok County on the 25th, propelled by winds exceeding 25m/s and advancing at a speed of 8.2km per hour. Within six hours, it expanded dramatically, resulting in a total of 16,207 hectares burned and damages amounting to 317 billion KRW over four days.
During this period, Yeongdeok County mobilized all available resources, deploying a cumulative total of 11,886 personnel and 1,113 pieces of equipment. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the wildfire claimed the lives of 10 residents, injured 56, destroyed 1,623 households, 35 boats, 176 hectares of crops, and damaged over 400 factories and shops. Among the five affected municipalities in North Gyeongsang Province, Yeongdeok suffered the most extensive damage.
In response, the county established an Integrated Support Center for wildfire victims on the 31st of last month to implement relief measures and support. Alongside swift on-site damage assessments, a special task force for temporary housing facilities was formed, and on the 9th, demolition began in the affected areas for the first time, focusing all efforts on ensuring stable housing and a return to daily life for the victims.
The county plans to complete the refinement and verification of the comprehensive recovery plan by the end of April, finalize it, and finish constructing temporary housing facilities by next month to expedite the return of victims to normal life.
Currently, Yeongdeok County has received applications for 916 temporary housing units. In addition to temporary housing, which allows for up to two years of residence, the county uniquely offers permanent modular homes as an option for victims in the affected areas, thereby strengthening housing stability.
Furthermore, to restore the pine forests that have been the largest producer of wild Songi mushrooms for 12 consecutive years, the county is swiftly implementing emergency logging and landslide prevention measures. In the long term, 77.5 billion KRW will be invested in a mid-to-long-term recovery plan over five to seven years, accompanied by scientific feasibility assessments.
During this process, the county will request the government to include Songi mushrooms, currently excluded from compensation, as eligible for support. They will also propose not only livelihood support but also various government-wide support measures and the continued payment of forestry direct payments beyond this year.
For agricultural and fishery damages, the county will provide: 35% of the damage amount for the restoration of agricultural facilities and equipment; 730,000 KRW per household for those with over 50% crop damage; 100% of pesticide costs and 50% of replanting costs for crop restoration; and 50% of livestock purchase costs. Additionally, they will support the disposal of completely burned fishing vessels and the purchase of personal fishing nets and gear, and propose expanding aquaculture insurance coverage and raising the unit prices for recovery cost calculations.
In addition, to counter the downturn in the tourism sector, which is the main industry of the local economy, the county will focus on attracting and promoting tourism through measures such as linking volunteer activities with tourism programs, urgent restoration of the Blue Road, providing incentives for group tourists, and introducing tourism taxis and DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) for tourism transportation.
Moreover, the county will provide 3 million KRW per business to affected small business owners and ensure that low-interest financial support is available to all affected SMEs, including small businesses. To ensure the swift payment of 300,000 KRW in disaster relief funds for residents' livelihood stability, a task force has been formed to expedite the process.
Yeongdeok County plans to urge the National Assembly for the prompt enactment of a special law on "Recovery and Support for Ultra-Large Wildfire Damage in North Gyeongsang Province" so that the comprehensive recovery plan can be implemented quickly and effectively.
Additionally, the county will closely request the swift disbursement of 166.9 billion KRW in national funds and 72.1 billion KRW in provincial funds out of the total 311.2 billion KRW recovery budget to prevent any setbacks in the recovery projects. For the county's share of the costs, they plan to request special grants and other forms of national financial support.
Kim Gwangyeol, the county governor, stated, "Unprecedented situations require extraordinary measures, so we are requesting stronger and more active support from the government and the province. At the same time, the county will secure all available resources and funds needed for wildfire recovery through rigorous expenditure restructuring. Just as new hope sprouts from the ashes of the wildfire, I will do my utmost, body and soul, to ensure that not only the victims but also our entire community can move beyond recovery toward a better and happier Yeongdeok."
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