Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member Lee Min-jun Urges Declaration of Special Disaster Area for Psychological Stability of Disaster Victims

Special Disaster Relief Funds Need Adjustment to Reflect Reality, Will Share the Pain of Disaster Victims

Lee Min-jun, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Lee Minjun, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Council, rolled up his sleeves to inspect the emergency restoration progress and support recovery efforts after visiting the Dasi-myeon area of Naju City, which was damaged by heavy rain on the 10th.

The Dasi-myeon area experienced heavy rainfall on the 7th and 8th, causing a partial collapse of Munpyeongcheon stream between Gahung-ri and Bogeum-ri, resulting in flooding of 530 hectares of surrounding farmland, damage to crops and livestock, and displacement of residents.

In response, Councilman Lee stated, “Although there are displaced residents who have lost everything due to the heavy rain, the delayed declaration of a national special disaster area has increased their psychological anxiety and even dampened their will to recover,” urging, “We ask for an urgent declaration of the disaster area.”

He added, “There are many issues with the disaster relief funds, such as being unrealistic,” and emphasized, “The disaster relief funds need to be revised to provide practical support.”

According to regulations on natural disaster relief and recovery cost burden standards, emergency relief for displaced residents, housing destruction, and road paving costs have steadily increased since 2002; however, the relief fund calculation standards for deaths and missing persons have been frozen for 18 years, and the support criteria for paddy field flood damage only cover pesticide costs.

Councilman Lee said, “Paddy rice requires significant economic expenditure and effort from farmers from the time of transplanting and sowing, nurturing the crops day by day, but the basis for damage support is only pesticide costs,” adding, “This causes additional pain to economically struggling farmers,” and stressed, “The method of calculating support must be reestablished.”

He continued, “Currently, rural areas are in a much more difficult situation than we realize, but the support criteria for damages are often disconnected from reality and do not provide practical help,” and stated, “While preventing damage is important, it is equally important to reconsider how to comfort the pain when damage occurs.”

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