Pan-Governmental Proactive Response to Spring Wildfires... Early Activation of Central Disaster Headquarters

Korea Forest Service and Ministry of the Interior and Safety:
"Strengthening Cooperation for a Unified Response"

The government has established a pan-governmental joint response system to prepare for wildfires in the spring of this year. The wildfire prevention period will be moved up, and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will also be activated earlier than usual.

The Korea Forest Service and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on January 20 that they will take proactive measures in accordance with the comprehensive wildfire response plan jointly announced by related agencies in October of last year.

Yonhap News Agency

The Korea Forest Service has advanced the start of the spring wildfire prevention period from February 1 to January 20, and will operate it until May 15. To prevent large-scale wildfires in advance, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will also be activated from January 20.

In particular, a National Wildfire Response Situation Room will be established within the headquarters, creating a joint response system with related organizations such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of National Defense, National Fire Agency, and National Police Agency. The plan is to respond swiftly and decisively in the event of a wildfire.

Accordingly, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will operate a support headquarters during the spring wildfire prevention period to efficiently assist the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters managed by the Korea Forest Service. The ministry will support overall disaster response, including wildfire situation management, cooperation with related agencies, and resident evacuation.

The two agencies plan to strengthen a robust pan-governmental response system for spring wildfires by dividing their roles while maintaining close cooperation.

The Korea Forest Service and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated, "There are limits to responding to wildfires by a single agency alone. By strengthening the joint response system with related ministries and local governments, with both agencies at the center, we will make every effort to protect the lives and property of the public from wildfires."