Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok Requests Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum to Declare 'Special Disaster Area'

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, inspected the status of power supply management in preparation for the summer heatwave on the 19th together with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who visited the Naju Innovation City Power Exchange.

At this meeting, Governor Kim requested national-level cooperation and support from Prime Minister Kim for key issues in Jeollanam-do, including the declaration of a special disaster area.

The five key issues proposed that day were ▲Declaration of special disaster areas for regions affected by heavy rain ▲Improvement of the support unit price system for disaster recovery in the fisheries sector ▲Increase in support unit prices for crop disaster recovery ▲Hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) ▲Establishment of a national medical school in Jeollanam-do.

Governor Kim said, “The recent heavy rain, which recorded up to 531mm, caused about 1,000 displaced people and property damage amounting to 113 billion won,” adding, “We urge the prompt declaration of special disaster areas so that residents of Haenam-gun, Gangjin-gun, Jangheung-gun, and Jindo-gun, which suffered severe damage, can recover as soon as possible.”

He continued, “Farmers and fishermen who suffered damage to agricultural, livestock, and fisheries products may paradoxically fail to receive national support,” emphasizing, “The damage amount calculation criteria for national treasury support must include damage to agricultural, livestock, and fisheries biological products.”

He also requested raising the support unit price for aquaculture facilities such as cage facilities and seafood like abalone and flatfish from the current level of 25.7% to about 50%.

Governor Kim added, “In the case of abalone, when heavy rain causes freshwater inflow, the salinity concentration rapidly decreases, inevitably leading to mass mortality,” and stressed, “To prevent this, support should be provided for the ‘Active Cage Net Installation Project,’ which allows water depth control.”

Requests were also made in the agricultural sector.

Governor Kim said, “The support unit prices for disaster recovery of agricultural facilities such as glass greenhouses and vinyl houses, as well as crops like grapes and apples, should be raised to actual transaction price levels,” and requested, “Please apply the support unit prices for pears, persimmons, and peaches, which are significantly lower than apples, at the same level as apples.”

Furthermore, he said, “The host country for the COP28 conference will be selected at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, UK, this November,” and added, “Before that, to secure a competitive advantage for South Korea, please prioritize confirming the 12 cities and counties in the southern central region of the southern coast of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do as the hosting area, and establish a national medical school in Jeollanam-do, which is the only province without a medical school among cities and provinces.”

Afterwards, together with Prime Minister Kim, he visited the Meoshimeoshi Farm in Donggang-myeon, Naju, and held a meeting with five young farmers, including Lim Jeong-ah, who was selected as a young successor farmer, to lead the future agriculture of Jeollanam-do.

While touring agricultural product cultivation sites such as mushroom cultivation houses, they listened to field difficulties and suggestions, including expanding childcare support for female farmers and increasing support for the development of subtropical varieties in response to climate change.

They also decided to actively promote policies to support the stable settlement and development of young farmers.

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