President Moon Declares Daegu and Gyeongbuk Special Disaster Areas for COVID-19 Damage

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] On the 15th, President Moon Jae-in declared Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK) as special disaster zones in relation to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis.

The Blue House announced that President Moon approved the declaration of special disaster zones after the proposal by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, and the review by the Central Safety Management Committee. This is the first time a special disaster zone has been declared due to an infectious disease rather than a natural disaster.

The special disaster zone designation is based on the "Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety," and applies to areas affected by natural or social disasters where it is difficult for local governments to manage recovery alone, requiring national-level support.

When a special disaster zone is declared, the related damage is investigated, a recovery plan is established, and 50% of the recovery costs are supported by the national government. Support is also provided for residents' livelihood and housing stabilization costs, relief funds for the deceased and injured, and benefits such as reductions in electricity bills, health insurance premiums, communication fees, and city gas charges are granted.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.