On the afternoon of the 27th, when a heavy snow warning was issued for some areas of Seoul, vehicles were moving slowly in the Banpo-daero area in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 18th that Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo declared seven cities and counties and four towns and townships as special disaster areas due to damage caused by heavy snow, strong winds, and high waves in November.
The areas designated as special disaster zones include Eumseong County in North Chungcheong Province, Seonghwang-eup and Ipjang-myeon in Cheonan City, South Chungcheong Province, and Pyeongtaek, Yongin, Icheon, Anseong, Hwaseong, and Yeoju cities in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Anheung-myeon and Dunnae-myeon in Hoengseong County, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.
These regions experienced significant snowfall of over 40 cm per day from the 26th to the 28th of last month, damaging agricultural facilities such as greenhouses, livestock pens, and ginseng cultivation facilities.
The government declared these areas as special disaster zones after conducting joint damage assessments with relevant departments, and the damage costs exceeded the threshold for such a declaration.
As a result, local governments in these areas will receive part of the recovery costs from national funds. Affected residents will benefit from disaster relief funds, tax payment deferrals, and reductions in public utility charges.
Even for regions not designated as special disaster areas, if they suffered damage from heavy snow, strong winds, or high waves during the same period, the government plans to provide disaster relief for private facility damages.
Acting Minister for the Interior and Safety Go Gi-dong expressed hope that the measures would aid in the recovery of everyday life and economic activity for affected residents, and assured that the government would work closely with relevant departments and local governments to swiftly finalize recovery plans and ensure seamless support.