Jin Sook Jeon Calls for Gwangju to Be Declared a Special Disaster Area Due to Heavy Rain Damage

At the National Assembly Plenary Session's "5-Minute Free Speech," Urges Action
"Legislation Needed to Strengthen State Responsibility for Climate Disasters"

Democratic Party lawmaker Jin Sook Jeon is advocating for the declaration of Gwangju as a "Special Disaster Area" during a "5-minute free speech" at the National Assembly plenary session held on the 23rd. Photo by Jin Sook Jeon’s office

Jin Sook Jeon, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Buk-gu-eul, Gwangju, asserted during a "5-minute free speech" at the National Assembly plenary session held on the 23rd that "Gwangju, which has suffered significant damage due to heavy rainfall, should be promptly declared a Special Disaster Area."

Jeon pointed out, "Unpredictable climate disasters are no longer exceptional events. In the future, they will occur more frequently, on a larger scale, and with even less predictability." She emphasized, "We need to move beyond past disaster prevention systems and strengthen both the disaster response paradigm and the state's responsibility."

She continued, "In Gwangju, there has been one death and one missing person, and there have been 1,311 cases of property damage, including roads, buildings, vehicles, and trees. The estimated amount of damage is 36.2 billion KRW, with 17 billion KRW expected in Buk-gu alone." She stressed, "Practical support is more urgent than a thousand words of consolation, and a swift declaration of a Special Disaster Area is needed to enable rapid recovery and normalization."

Jeon also called for "increased national funding for climate disaster infrastructure, such as expanding drainage pump stations and retention basins, and for revising the River Act, Building Act, and Small River Maintenance Act to reinforce the state's responsibility." She urged, "The government and the National Assembly must take the lead in protecting the lives and safety of the people."