Wildfire Disaster Level... Jeollanam-do and Forestry Cooperative Launch Joint Response

Expanding Support with Drones, Water Trucks, and Personnel
Information Sharing and Cooperation for Initial Wildfire Response

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, is taking a commemorative photo with key guests and cooperative members at the '2025 Gwangju-Jeonnam Forestry Cooperative Officers and Employees Unity Festival' held on the 15th in Wontorini, Sinji-myeon, Wando-gun. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeollanam-do announced that the 2025 Gwangju-Jeonnam Forestry Cooperative Officers and Employees Unity Festival, hosted by the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Headquarters of the National Forestry Cooperative Federation, was held on the 15th in Wontorini, Sinji-myeon, Wando. During the event, participants strengthened their unity, and the province signed a joint response agreement with the forestry cooperative for wildfire disaster management.

The Unity Festival was organized to foster harmony and solidarity among forestry cooperative officers and employees, and to reaffirm their commitment to transforming forests into safe workplaces and havens of happiness for residents through proactive action.

The event was attended by Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do; National Assembly members Park Jiwon, Lee Gaeho, and Shin Jeonghun; Shin Woochul, Mayor of Wando; Han Min, Head of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Headquarters of the National Forestry Cooperative Federation; the heads of forestry cooperatives from 22 cities and counties; representatives from forestry organizations; and approximately 400 other participants.

During the commemorative ceremony, Jeollanam-do and the forestry cooperative signed a joint response agreement for wildfire disasters, and a ceremony was held to deliver a 3 million won Hometown Love Donation to Wando-gun.

The joint wildfire disaster response agreement was proposed during a communication meeting between Governor Kim Youngrok and the heads of forestry cooperatives last February, and was formalized to coincide with the autumn wildfire prevention season.

Under the agreement, the forestry cooperative will actively cooperate in wildfire disaster prevention and response by deploying 16 drones, 254 pieces of equipment such as water trucks and backpack pumps, and 322 personnel for wildfire monitoring and relief activities in affected areas.

Jeollanam-do will support wildfire prevention and suppression training for forestry cooperative officers and employees, and will establish a cooperative system for initial wildfire response through information sharing in the event of a wildfire.

Governor Kim Youngrok stated, "Jeollanam-do will further strengthen its joint wildfire disaster response system with the forestry cooperative to protect the lives and property of residents and to conserve forest resources." He added, "We will firmly support the future industrialization of forestry through drone and ICT-based wildfire monitoring, fostering the timber industry for carbon neutrality, and linking forestry with healing and tourism."

Meanwhile, there are 22 forestry cooperatives in the Gwangju-Jeonnam region, with 130 professionals assigned to forestry technology guidance projects. The total number of cooperative members is approximately 135,000.