Residents affected by heavy rain: “Practical damage recovery and relief support”
Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung announced in a briefing that the president personally visited Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, which suffered significant damage from record-breaking heavy rain on the afternoon of the 21st, to inspect the recovery situation.
He explained that this was to comfort the affected residents and encourage rapid recovery.
The president first visited the integrated support headquarters set up at the Sancheong-eup Administrative Welfare Center, encouraged volunteers, received a report on the damage and recovery situation from the deputy county mayor, and inspected relief support, etc.
The president then visited the restoration site of Buri, Sancheong-eup, where a landslide occurred, received a report on the damage and recovery status from the head of the Korea Forest Service, and encouraged the on-site staff.
President Lee expressed his deep condolences, saying, “This heavy rain has caused unfortunate casualties,” and instructed the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.
He also expressed great regret over the fact that livestock farms, restaurants, and bus waiting areas were buried under the landslide, and comforted the residents and urged them to quickly recover.
When one resident said that even public officials came forward to carry the elderly and evacuate them, reducing the casualties, President Lee encouraged the on-site staff and ordered an investigation into cases where damage was reduced through early response.
The new Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong also accompanied the visit. President Lee instructed Minister Yoon to “mobilize all resources and administrative power, including urgent budget support, to quickly support the affected residents.”
He also mentioned special grants for disaster and safety management while checking the status of preparations for the announcement of special disaster areas.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it will provide an additional 5.5 billion won in disaster safety management special grants to Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do, which have suffered damage from the heavy rain that has fallen since the 16th.
This additional grant is an immediate measure in accordance with President Lee’s directive at the site of the heavy rain damage in Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do, to “mobilize all resources and administrative power, including urgent budget support, to support the affected residents.”
The grant of the disaster special grants will be used primarily for relief of the displaced, emergency restoration of damaged facilities, and emergency safety measures to prevent secondary damage.
In addition, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it will review additional grants if the scale of the damage increases as a full-scale on-site investigation is conducted.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it will do its utmost to support the areas affected by the heavy rain so that they can stabilize as soon as possible.
[Editor Lee]
