President Lee Jae-myung declared six cities and counties as 'special disaster zones' on July 22, following severe damage from recent torrential rains. Kang Yu-jeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, officially announced at 6:44 p.m. that Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province; Seosan and Yesan in South Chungcheong Province; Damyang in South Jeolla Province; and Sancheong and Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province, were all included under the special designation.

With this classification, local governments in the affected areas will receive additional national funding for disaster recovery, while local residents will be granted government relief measures such as deferred payment of national and local taxes, along with discounts on public utility fees.

President Lee emphasized, "Spare no administrative effort to ensure that those impacted can return to daily life as soon as possible," instructing swift action in both disaster response and restoration procedures.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters explained that these designations were made preemptively, ahead of a joint on-site government investigation, to accelerate rehabilitation efforts in the wake of the heavy rain.

Authorities added that for regions not yet designated, rapid completion of damage assessments by both local and central governments will enable further recommendations to the President for additional ‘special disaster zones’ if the criteria are met.

Minister of the Interior and Safety, Yoon Ho-jung, commented, “We hope this initial declaration provides timely assistance for recovery and helps displaced residents reclaim their routines.” He also noted that a thorough analysis of the damage would guide the development of permanent restoration plans in the affected areas.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Korea Policy Briefing