Governor Seo Taewon Requests Special Disaster Zone Declaration... "Urgent Need for Swift Government Support"

Seo Taewon Urges Swift Government Action
"Gapyeong Has Reached Its Recovery Limits"
Calls for Special Disaster Zone Declaration and National Support

Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi Province (Governor Seo Taewon) has requested the National Assembly to declare the area a special disaster zone in response to large-scale damage caused by recent heavy rainfall. The county is struggling with recovery efforts as record-breaking torrential rains have resulted not only in casualties but also in extensive property damage, including the collapse of roads and bridges, as well as flooding of homes and vehicles.

County Governor Seo Taewon (right) is inspecting the flood damage site with Jeong Cheongrae, Chairman of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, who visited the site on the 20th. Provided by Gapyeong County

On July 20, Governor Seo Taewon met with Park Chan-dae, former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea; Jeong Cheongrae, Chairman of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee; and Kim Moonsoo, former Minister of Employment and Labor who has declared his candidacy for the People Power Party leadership. He requested their active cooperation to ensure a swift recovery in Gapyeong by having the area declared a special disaster zone.

At the site, Governor Seo Taewon stated, "Gapyeong County has reached the limits of its own recovery capabilities," emphasizing that "a prompt declaration of a special disaster zone by the government and national financial support are urgently needed."

As of 9 a.m. on July 21, the county reported the following damages from the heavy rainfall: two deaths, four people missing, three injured, and 37 isolated; the collapse of roads and bridges; flooding of buildings and vehicles; and multiple incidents of landslides. The county is making every effort to ensure residents' safety and carry out emergency restoration, while also focusing its administrative resources on establishing long-term disaster prevention measures.

Governor Seo Taewon appealed for swift government support, saying, "Due to Gapyeong's mountainous terrain and concentration of rivers, the scale of damage increases rapidly during heavy rainfall. Only prompt and substantial support from the government can quickly restore normalcy to the lives of county residents."