President Lee: "A Swift Decision Will Be Made,"
Orders Support with Personnel and Equipment
"Please promptly declare Sancheong, Hapcheon, Uiryeong, and other areas that have suffered severe damage from this heavy rainfall as special disaster zones."
Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, made this request to President Lee Jaemyung on the 21st, when the president visited the site of flood damage in Sancheong County.
Governor Park stated, "Record-breaking heavy rain has caused significant damage to both lives and property," and emphasized, "Active support from the central government is urgently needed for the search for missing persons, assistance to displaced residents, and permanent restoration."
In response, President Lee promised, "I will make a swift decision."
Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province (left), and Lee Jaemyung, President (center), are inspecting the damage situation as they tour Buri Village, Sancheong-eup, Sancheong County, Gyeongnam, where severe damage such as landslides occurred due to heavy rain. Photo by Yonhap News
After hearing Governor Park's request, President Lee instructed Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojoong to "provide the maximum possible support in terms of special disaster relief funds, as well as personnel and equipment for rapid search and recovery."
President Lee then visited Buri Village in Sancheong-eup, where he met with displaced residents and other locals to check on the progress of recovery efforts.
During this visit, when a resident remarked, "Given the severity of the rainfall, the authorities seem to have responded well," President Lee instructed the Minister of the Interior and Safety to "identify exemplary cases where early response minimized damage."
The Gyeongnam provincial government also requested the prompt declaration of Sancheong, Hapcheon, and Uiryeong as special disaster zones, as well as the development of fundamental restoration plans for local rivers with insufficient capacity and the inclusion of these plans in government policy.
Additionally, the province requested the implementation of permanent restoration projects for landslides beyond just emergency measures, 50 billion won in forest disaster prevention funds to support these projects, an increase in the central government's share of road facility disaster recovery costs from the current 50% to 70%, and an increase in support funds for the restoration of homes damaged by heavy rainfall.
Governor Park noted, "During the recent wildfire disaster, more than 80 million won was provided for homes that were completely destroyed, but the current support for homes damaged by this heavy rainfall is only about 20 million won," and added, "Even if the types of natural disasters differ, the suffering and losses of residents are the same. Therefore, fairness and practicality must be reflected in recovery support."
Between the 16th and 19th, heavy rainfall in Gyeongnam Province caused severe damage, including landslides, power outages, and flooding, mainly in Sancheong, Hapcheon, and Uiryeong counties.
Among these, Sancheong County suffered the most casualties, with 10 deaths, 4 missing persons, and 2 seriously injured.
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