Kim Ki-hyun "Record Localized Heavy Rain, No Safe Place... Disaster Safety Judgments Must Change"

Park Dae-chul "Excessive Preparedness Is the Right Answer for Disaster Response"

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, said on the 18th regarding the flood damage caused by the heavy rain, "Our thoughts, criteria for judgment, and countermeasures must change."

On the same day, at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Kim said, "From March to April this year, the entire country struggled with wildfires due to dry weather, but now the damage caused by record-breaking extreme localized heavy rain is severe. We need to change our various thoughts, criteria for judgment, and countermeasures regarding disaster safety to the extent that we feel there will be no safe area anywhere in the future."

He added, "Please take more meticulous care so that incidents causing multiple casualties, such as the flooding of the underground road in Osong, Chungbuk, and the landslide in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, never happen again," and "There is property damage in many places, so I think there should be a thorough pre-inspection again to see if there are any places where major water damage could occur, including the safety of embankments."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim said, "There is a forecast of heavy rain this week as well, and many places have significantly weakened ground, so active cooperation with local governments will also be necessary."

Regarding the disaster situation, Kim also urged the attitude of public officials. He said, "I visited the site yesterday and saw many people working hard on rescue and recovery activities who looked very tired and exhausted," and "Nevertheless, I returned with deep gratitude for their efforts to do their best."

Park Dae-chul, chairman of the People Power Party Policy Committee, said, "When it comes to disaster response, excessive preparation is the correct answer," and introduced, "The term 'extreme heavy rain' has been appearing frequently recently, and according to the Korea Meteorological Administration data, there have been 27 cases meeting this criterion from January 1 this year until yesterday." He added, "We cannot actively respond to existing extreme weather conditions, so we must respond to these changes," and "Although we cannot prevent the weather itself, thorough preparation based on advanced science and technology and accumulated forecasting experience can minimize damage."

Jeong Hee-yong, member of the People Power Party and head of the Disaster Countermeasures Committee, said, "It is necessary to thoroughly identify the causes of the flood and supplement the guidelines," and "Areas severely damaged by this heavy rain should be promptly declared special zones and rapid recovery should be ensured." Jeong said, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety should respond thoroughly to urban underground road flooding and establish measures to cope with severe climate change, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs should do its utmost to support affected farmers and prevent pests and diseases." He continued, "The Korea Forest Service said landslides occur even in areas not vulnerable to them," and "I ask for a comprehensive management plan for landslides." Regarding the Ministry of Environment, he requested, "Please thoroughly prepare for flood damage, including dam, embankment management, and tributary layer management."

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