Prime Minister Jeong: "Moon Administration Faces Test... Mobilizing Available Finances for Full-Scale Flood Response"

Opening Remarks at the High-Level Party-Government-Cheongwadae Council Meeting on the 12th
Lee Hae-chan: "Save the Budget as Much as Possible, but Do Not Skimp on Public Safety"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced that he will mobilize all available financial resources for rapid flood damage recovery. The Democratic Party of Korea urged the government to declare additional special disaster areas, increase disaster relief funds, and allocate special disaster safety grants.

In his opening remarks at the 'High-Level Party-Government-Civil Cooperation Meeting on Heavy Rain Damage Measures' held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 12th, Prime Minister Chung said, "This summer's monsoon, recorded as the longest ever at about 50 days, has left scars across the country due to unprecedented heavy rainfall," adding, "Government support is urgently and desperately needed."

He continued, "We are now being tested on how much effort we are making to fulfill the Moon Jae-in administration's promise to protect the safety and lives of the people, which is the fundamental duty of the state," and said, "We will mobilize all available financial resources, including contingency funds and disaster relief funds, to respond with full force for rapid damage recovery."

Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "First, we are focusing on emergency recovery, support for disaster victims, and prevention of additional damage," and added, "We will also make disaster relief funds, such as relief money for the deceased and missing persons, more realistic and ensure timely support."

He also stressed, "The government will establish a solid disaster safety net through this opportunity," and said, "After the monsoon ends, we will thoroughly investigate the damage and analyze the causes to prepare permanent measures to prevent similar accidents from recurring in the same areas."

Kim Sang-jo, Chief of the Presidential Office Policy Office, said, "We will mobilize all available resources, including contingency funds and disaster relief funds, to ensure that disaster support is swift and sufficient," and added, "We are considering raising the special disaster relief funds and will proceed with speed."

Lee Hae-chan, leader of the Democratic Party, said, "There is a need to secure more disaster relief funds. We must save the budget as much as possible for public safety, but we must not be stingy."

He continued, "I judge that this situation should be treated as a disaster response beyond just heavy rain measures," and said, "I hope that the government quickly assesses how much the recovery costs will be, promptly supports available resources such as contingency funds, and considers allocating disaster relief funds where necessary."

He also urged, "There are many large areas that local governments in charge of the field cannot respond to at once. I have heard many appeals that local governments find it difficult to cover recovery costs," and called on the government to consider allocating special disaster safety grants.

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, "We will carefully examine whether the current contingency funds and budget are sufficient," and added, "If deemed necessary, we will actively consider drafting a fourth supplementary budget."

He continued, "Special disaster areas should be promptly designated not only for the existing seven designated areas but also for other regions," and said, "The party and government will allocate a budget for a smart disaster safety management system within the Green New Deal project to expand a permanent disaster prevention system."

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