Myeong Hyun-gwan, Haenam County Governor, Welcomes Government's Declaration of 'Special Disaster Area'

Published 23 Jul.2021 17:51(KST)

Damage Estimated at Over 9.1 Billion Won: "We Will Make Every Effort for Swift Recovery"

Former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon (second from right) is listening to Ha Myeon-gwan, Haenam County Governor, explain the damage situation in the Gwandong area of Haenam County, which was affected by heavy rain on the morning of the 9th. (Photo by Haenam County)

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Myung Hyun-gwan, the mayor of Haenam County, expressed his welcome for the government’s declaration of Haenam County as a special disaster zone following the heavy rains earlier this month, and pledged to do his best for swift recovery.

According to the joint central disaster damage investigation team that operated for five days starting from the 16th, damages in Haenam were estimated at a total of 9.141 billion KRW, including 7.596 billion KRW in public facility damages. Among the four local governments declared as special disaster zones, Haenam had the largest scale of damage.

With the designation as a special disaster zone, up to 80% of the restoration costs for public facilities will be supported by national funds, reducing the local government’s burden by securing an additional 2.1 billion KRW on top of the existing 15.7 billion KRW in national subsidies.

For affected residents, in addition to existing support such as deferral and reduction of national and local tax payments, reductions will also be applied to health insurance premiums, communication, electricity, and city gas fees.

In particular, additional benefits will be implemented for this heavy rain damage, including reductions in radio usage fees, exemptions from post office deposit fees, reductions in employment and industrial accident insurance premiums, exemptions from farmland preservation charges, and reductions in overdue national health insurance fees.

Mayor Myung, who has been conducting on-site inspections daily since the heavy rain damage and focusing all efforts on recovery, said, “I thank the officials who visited the site directly and worked hard in various ways to declare the special disaster zone,” and added, “We will promptly proceed with related procedures such as providing disaster relief funds so that affected residents can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.”

Also, since the local government’s estimated recovery cost reaches 29.7 billion KRW, continuous proposals will be made to realize the recovery and damage support funds and to include biological damages such as crops and marine products.

Since the heavy rain damage, Mayor Myung conducted on-site inspections of 14 towns and townships, led rapid recovery efforts, and strongly requested the declaration of the special disaster zone to former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, and Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok, leading to the declaration of this special disaster zone.