Interior Ministry vows efforts for speedy recovery
At least 19 people have been confirmed dead, as authorities continue to look for eight residents who remained missing after torrential rains battered South Korea for five days.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 19 people had been found dead in landslides, flooded houses and vehicles as of press time.
Sancheong in western South Gyeongsang Province saw the highest number of casualties, with 10 dead and four missing. The county experienced the most intense rainfall of any area, with accumulated precipitation reaching almost 800 millimeters as of Sunday.
The emergency headquarters reported five deaths in Gyeonggi Province, three in South Chungcheong Province and one in Gwangju. Authorities warned that figure could rise as search and rescue efforts continue in hard-hit areas.
A total of 9,887 households, comprising 14,166 residents in 15 cities and provincial areas, had been temporarily evacuated by 9 p.m. Sunday, according to the emergency headquarters.
Flooding damaged 1,999 public infrastructure sites and 2,238 private facilities nationwide.
The government vowed its utmost efforts to restore the affected residents' daily lives.
“The Lee Jae Myung administration will promptly review the designation of special disaster zones and provide special subsidies to fulfill its responsibility. We also urge local governments to make every effort for flood recovery and prevention,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Monday afternoon.
The designation of a special disaster zone allows the government to provide partial financial aid for the restoration of both private and public facilities damaged by the rain and floods. Affected residents will also receive a range of financial support.
The Interior Ministry began a swift transition from emergency response to recovery after heavy rainfall alerts were lifted across the country Sunday night.
The ministry rescinded the third and highest stage of its three-stage response system and lowered the heavy rain alert from “severe” to “caution,” the second-highest level in the four-level system.
Following the adjustment, Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung announced that the ministry will provide support to ensure local governments can fully utilize their resources, such as municipal budgets and tax tools, for their recovery efforts and pledged assistance to those affected by the heavy rainfall.
Alongside this support, the ministry advised all local governments to devote all available financial resources to the urgent recovery efforts, including the provision of relief supplies and temporary housing.
While requesting expedited contract procedures for the installation of temporary relief facilities and equipment rentals to prevent delays in aid, the ministry informed local governments that public properties such as community centers and local gymnasiums could be temporarily provided to affected residents free of charge as emergency shelters.
Displaced residents will receive a range of financial support: exemptions from acquisition, registration and license taxes for new houses, livestock barns, vehicles, agricultural machinery and equipment; reductions in public utility fees; and deferred local tax payments.
Rent reductions and lease extensions may also be granted to tenants of public properties that have sustained damage.
The ministry, in cooperation with Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, also began deploying free repair teams upon request from local governments.
While temporary service centers will be set up in hard-hit areas, on-site visits will be provided in places where damage is minor.
The repair service operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
All home appliances manufactured by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are eligible for repair. Residents whose household appliances were damaged by the recent downpours can inquire about free repairs by calling the companies’ customer service numbers.
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