SEOUL– President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed officials again Thursday to direct all efforts to putting out a wildfire raging in the southeastern city of Miryang for the third day, his spokesperson said.
The fire began early Tuesday on a hill in the city 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul and has spread quickly, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate and burning almost 650 hectares of woodland as of Thursday morning, according to firefighting authorities.
No casualties have been reported.
“I ask not only agencies extinguishing the wildfire, such as the Korea Forest Service and the National Fire Agency, but also related agencies, such as the Ministry of National Defense and the National Police Agency, to actively mobilize all possible personnel and resources and direct all of their energy to help put out the fire quickly,” Yoon said, according to his spokesperson, Kang In-sun.
Yoon instructed officials to take special care to prevent accidents, and especially the loss of life, during the efforts.
He also called for measures to prevent damage to national infrastructure and a constant readiness posture against wildfires until the start of the summer rainy season.
“I ask the Korea Forest Service and related agencies to thoroughly analyze the overall response to this wildfire and actively come up with solutions to shortcomings together with related ministries,” Yoon said.
The president gave similar instructions Tuesday shortly after the fire broke out.
Source: Yonhap News Agency