SEOUL - In response to the severe impact of recent heavy rainfalls, South Korea's presidential office convened an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the extensive damage and prepare for more anticipated adverse weather.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the presidential spokesperson, the government has resolved to set up an inter-agency headquarters aimed at mitigating further damages from an expected typhoon and additional heavy rains next week. This initiative will include providing special grants and deploying emergency recovery teams to expedite repairs to the infrastructure severely affected by the rains. Last week, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared five regions as special disaster zones, including areas within North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, and North Gyeongsang Provinces, due to the catastrophic effects of the downpours that necessitated thousands of evacuations, particularly in the southern parts of the country.
The designation of these areas as special disaster zones allows for governmental financial aid to support the recovery efforts, including relief funds for affected residents and various other benefits. Jeong added that damage assessments are ongoing for potentially designating additional areas as disaster zones, with a focus on swift declarations to facilitate recovery.
To address the immediate needs of displaced residents, the government plans to provide temporary housing solutions such as modular homes and rental housing options. Additionally, efforts to streamline the insurance claim process for victims with natural disaster coverage are underway, reducing the evaluation period for disaster insurance claims from seven days to three days. Victims will also receive an initial 50 percent of the estimated insurance payment in advance to aid in their recovery.
In an effort to stabilize the prices of essential food items, the government will also increase the supply of government-stored agricultural products, including 23,000 tons of cabbage and 5,000 tons of radish. The supply of alternative vegetables such as young radish and garlic will be expanded to meet the needs of the population during this crisis period.