[Exclusive] Sancheong-gun Secures Record Restoration Funds ... But Where Is the Recovery?

County: "We Cannot Restore Private Property"
"Budget Is Insufficient Even for Public Facility Restoration"

The flood-damaged site in Anbong-ri, Sinan-myeon, Sancheong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, remains unchanged even after a series of on-site coverages and reports by The Asia Business Daily. The collapsed drainage ditch and the persimmon farm buried under sediment are still left unattended.

The county continues to repeat its position that “the government cannot restore private property,” but a closer look at relevant laws and budget realities reveals that Sancheong-gun’s claims are unconvincing.

The problematic drainage ditch within the persimmon farm in Sinan-myeon, Sancheong-gun, overflowed during the heavy rainfall, sweeping away soil and sediment. This led to the collapse of both nearby farmland and the waterway’s function. The structure poses a risk of affecting downstream areas in the event of further rainfall, making it more than just a simple case of farm damage.

Photo of flood damage site in Sinan-myeon, Sancheong-gun.

Despite this, Sancheong-gun has only offered the basic response that “it is difficult for the government to intervene in cases of private property damage.” According to The Asia Business Daily’s investigation, the county has not even conducted a thorough on-site inspection or properly reviewed the need for restoration.

Contrary to the county’s stance, relevant laws require a more proactive administrative response.

Article 4 of the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety stipulates that the nation and local governments are responsible for protecting the lives, bodies, and property of citizens from disasters.

Additionally, Article 66 of the same law allows for the provision of restoration funds even for damage to private facilities.

Furthermore, Article 46 of the Countermeasures Against Natural Disasters Act provides grounds for public intervention in facilities directly related to disaster prevention, such as rivers, drainage ditches, and water channels, regardless of their ownership status.

Experts point out that “even if water-related structures are privately owned, they are directly linked to public safety,” and criticize the administration for evading its responsibility.

It is known that Sancheong-gun has secured approximately 925.3 billion won in restoration support funds, the largest amount ever for such a disaster. However, the county maintains that “the budget is insufficient even for restoring public facilities,” drawing a clear line against restoring private properties.

However, according to The Asia Business Daily’s investigation, affected residents complain that “the budget is mostly allocated to large-scale public construction projects, while actual farm damage is pushed to the back of the line.” This has led to criticism that the issue lies not in the absolute size of the budget, but in the priorities of budget execution and administrative will.

A significant number of affected farms are run by elderly farmers. Many missed the reporting period due to hospital treatment or attempting restoration on their own at the time of the flood. Nonetheless, Sancheong-gun has either refused to accept applications citing “expired application periods” or has only conducted perfunctory reviews.

One resident questioned, “In the face of disaster, the administration uses the law as a shield, while residents are excluded because of their age or illness. Is this really disaster administration?”

The fact that nothing has changed on site even after our coverage has fueled controversy, turning the issue from simple administrative negligence into a structural problem.

Responsibility is now being raised not only against the department in charge for ignoring on-site judgments, but also against the county governor, who oversees the execution of special disaster relief funds and the overall direction of restoration efforts.

Experts emphasize, “If both the law and the budget exist but restoration does not take place, what remains is a matter of administrative will. Ultimately, the final responsibility for disaster administration lies with the head of the local government.”

The Asia Business Daily will continue in-depth investigative reporting to determine how long Sancheong-gun will hide behind the excuse of ‘private property’ and whether the flood damage in Sinan-myeon, Sancheong-gun, will lead to yet another disaster.