National Funding Secured for 1.54 Million Tons of Gyeongbuk Wildfire Disaster Waste Disposal; 27,000 Tons of Factory Waste Also to Be Processed Swiftly

On May 7, Gyeongbuk Province announced that it will receive national funding following the approval of 138.1 billion won in disaster waste disposal costs for 1.54 million tons of waste generated by the massive wildfire in the northeastern region, as part of the 2025 government supplementary budget.

Gyeongbuk Province had previously requested national funding of 138.1 billion won for waste disposal in order to protect the lives and property of residents and to ensure the prompt recovery of the affected areas.

Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province (left), is visiting the wildfire-affected area to encourage the disaster victims.

By region, Andong will receive 43.1 billion won (480,000 tons), Yeongdeok 41.5 billion won (470,000 tons), Cheongsong 38.5 billion won (450,000 tons), Uiseong 11.5 billion won (110,000 tons), and Yeongyang 3.5 billion won (30,000 tons) in national funding.

To process the total 1.54 million tons of waste, Gyeongbuk Province has mobilized 80 demolition specialist companies, 40 transportation and disposal companies, and 244 vehicles, and is continuously carrying out the disposal work. As of May 1, 120,000 tons of disaster waste have been processed.

Demolition work has progressed to between 45% and 51% in the hardest-hit areas of Andong, Uiseong, and Yeongdeok, and waste disposal is being carried out sequentially.

Meanwhile, due to the nature of the work?where demolition is carried out by village units and waste is transported only after a certain amount has been collected?the waste disposal rate is somewhat lower than the demolition rate.

Gyeongbuk Province is also supporting waste disposal for factories and businesses affected by the wildfire. Although, under current law, factory disaster waste is not eligible for national funding, Gyeongbuk Province has secured support through continuous efforts and active consultation with the Ministry of Environment and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

Factory waste in the Gyeongbuk region amounts to 27,000 tons from 65 companies, and so far, 4,545 tons have been processed in the Namhu Industrial Complex in Andong and in the Yeongdeok area. The remaining areas will also have waste disposal work carried out swiftly in line with demolition schedules.

Lee Kyungon, Director of Climate and Environment at Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "We are mobilizing all available resources and closely cooperating with the Ministry of Environment and local governments to achieve our goal of processing all waste generated from residential facilities by the end of June 2025," adding, "We will do our utmost in waste disposal so that residents who have lost their homes due to this wildfire can return to their daily lives as soon as possible."