0
Soldiers from the ROK Army’s 32nd Division carry out flood recovery work in Yeomchi-eup, Asan, South Chungcheong Province, on July 20 after record-breaking rains inundated the region. / Photo by Lee Byung-hwa

President Lee Jae-myung on July 20 ordered the prompt declaration of special disaster zones in areas devastated by torrential rains, as the nationwide death toll from flooding and landslides climbed to 26 over the past five days.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung announced Lee’s directive during a written briefing, emphasizing the urgency of assessing damages and implementing follow-up measures.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of 9 a.m. that day, 14 people had been confirmed dead and 12 remained missing. The hardest-hit region was Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, where a deadly landslide left eight dead and six missing. In light of the escalating crisis since July 16, President Lee called for swift damage assessments and government response.

Designation as a “special disaster zone” grants affected residents benefits such as tax deferrals and utility bill reductions. It also allows local governments to receive partial financial support from the central government for recovery costs, easing their fiscal burden.

On July 18, President Lee canceled a scheduled town hall meeting in Busan and instead visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in Seoul to oversee the government’s emergency response. “The foremost duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of its people,” he said. “We will take preventive measures, even to the point of seeming excessive.”

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok dispatched Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung to the Chungcheong region and Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong to Sancheong to oversee recovery efforts on the ground.

Kim himself visited flood-damaged areas in Gwangju on July 20, inspecting farms, businesses, and homes in northern Gwangju, including the areas around Sinan Bridge and Hasin Village in Yonggang-dong. Upon learning that Sinan Bridge had also suffered massive flood damage five years ago, Kim questioned local officials: “What exactly has been done since then?”

“In the immediate term, we will quickly report the damage to the president and propose disaster declarations and relief measures,” Kim said. “We must do everything we can to prevent such disasters from recurring.”