Cheongsong-gun Designated as a 'Special Disaster Area' Due to Crop Cold Damage

Cheongsong-gun, which suffered significant damage from crop cold damage last April, has recently been designated as a special disaster area, enabling it to receive support from the government.

Cheongsong-gun, designated as a special disaster area due to crop cold damage.

This is the first time in history that the government has declared a special disaster area due to crop cold damage.

At that time, all eight eup and myeon areas in the Cheongsong region recorded subzero temperatures, causing frost, which damaged crops over an area of 3,206 hectares across 3,996 farms.

By eup and myeon, Andeok-myeon recorded the largest damaged area of 565 hectares, followed by Bunam-myeon with 558 hectares, Hyeonseo-myeon 539 hectares, Hyeondong-myeon 423 hectares, Jinbo-myeon 420 hectares, Juwangsan-myeon 342 hectares, Pacheon-myeon 194 hectares, and Cheongsong-eup 164 hectares.

Among crops, apples suffered the most damage with 2,975 hectares affected, followed by plums at 115 hectares, peaches 59 hectares, chili peppers 29 hectares, and other fruit trees 28 hectares.

Typical cold damage included browning or death of apple stamens, and chili peppers partially or entirely frostbitten and melting away.

In particular, the declaration of a special disaster area for agricultural product damage became possible following the approval of the amendment to the "Regulations on Standards for Burden of Relief and Restoration Costs for Natural Disasters" at the Cabinet meeting on June 5.

Previously, damage amounts were not considered, and only disaster relief funds were provided for damage to crops, livestock, and aquatic products. However, the amendment included these damage amounts in the 'property damage amount calculation target.'

As a result, areas that previously did not meet the damage amount criteria and could not be declared special disaster areas can now be designated as such.

When designated as a special disaster area, in addition to the 18 items supported for general disaster areas, 12 additional items such as ▲health insurance premium reductions ▲exemptions from military mobilization and reserve forces training ▲reductions in communication, gas, and electricity fees are provided. Furthermore, since the government additionally supports part of the local government's restoration cost burden, it also helps the local government's finances.

A farmer in the Cheongsong area said, "Since this spring, continuous natural disasters such as cold damage, monsoons, and typhoons have caused deep worries, but this special disaster area declaration seems to have at least opened a breathing space for farmers."

County Governor Yoon Kyung-hee said, "This special disaster area declaration will greatly help stabilize the management of farms affected by low-temperature damage and effectively restore the damage," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that disaster relief funds can be promptly provided according to the approval of future restoration plans."

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