Seoul Submits Plan to Increase Regional Exchange and Cooperation Fund
Mayor Oh Se-hoon says, “mobilize all available resources to support”
On April 3, Seoul city announced that it had urgently submitted a proposal to the Seoul Metropolitan Council to increase the Regional Exchange and Cooperation Fund by 5 billion KRW. This move is aimed at securing the funds necessary for rapid and effective relief and additional support for areas affected by wildfires.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, “The wildfires in the Yeongnam region, which caused unprecedented damage, are not just a regional disaster but a significant issue that the entire nation must address collectively. The Seoul Metropolitan Council’s resolution to amend the ‘Regional Exchange and Cooperation Fund Operation Plan’ will provide immediate assistance to the affected areas.” He added, “This fund increase is not a mere budget adjustment but signifies the strong will of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, to utilize all available resources comprehensively and offer extensive support.”
If the proposal to increase the Regional Exchange and Cooperation Fund by 5 billion KRW is approved at the 329th emergency session of the council later that day, 4 billion KRW will be immediately donated to the Seoul branch of the Korean Red Cross for urgent support in the Yeongnam region. The remaining 1 billion KRW will be set aside as a reserve fund to prepare for future natural disasters.
Previously, on March 24, shortly after the wildfires broke out, Seoul city provided 500 million KRW in emergency relief funds through the Seoul branch of the Korean Red Cross. Additionally, the city actively participated in disaster recovery by deploying 734 personnel, 256 fire trucks, and fire helicopters to Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Ulsan, the areas most affected by the wildfires. Furthermore, in collaboration with both public and private sectors, the city engaged in comprehensive support activities, including providing 549 tents, 13,566 bedding items, 30,500 pieces of clothing, 12 mobile kitchens, and 318,875 items for fire suppression.
The relief funds will be used for the rapid reconstruction of the Yeongnam region, focusing on supporting the complete recovery of homes, purchasing agricultural machinery, and establishing temporary housing for displaced residents. The scale and allocation of the relief funds were determined based on urgent requests from the Yeongnam region.
In particular, 1 billion KRW will be allocated for the rental of heavy equipment like backhoes, dump trucks, and watering cars needed for processing completely destroyed homes and restoring basic infrastructure in the Gyeongbuk area. Another 1.7 billion KRW will be used to purchase agricultural machinery, such as tractors and speed sprayers, to support farmers whose equipment was completely destroyed. Additionally, 1 billion KRW will be directed towards setting up temporary housing for displaced residents who lost their homes. In the Gyeongnam region, 300 million KRW will be spent on renting heavy equipment, building temporary housing, and providing relief supplies for damage recovery and assisting affected residents.
Moreover, Seoul city plans to deploy around 160 volunteers over two days, April 4 and 5, to support recovery activities in the wildfire-affected areas. This volunteer group comprises 31 healthcare professionals (including 16 from the Seoul Medical Association and 15 traditional medicine practitioners and students), 80 foreign volunteers, and 57 Seoul city officials and staff from the Seoul Volunteer Center.
Additionally, to prepare for an anticipated increase in demand for volunteer services, Seoul city, the Seoul Volunteer Center, and wildfire-affected municipalities plan to conduct tailored mid- to long-term volunteer services, including home renovation, tree planting, and manpower support, for maintaining the restoration of completely destroyed homes.
Furthermore, continuous support for recovery equipment and materials needed across all wildfire-affected areas in Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Ulsan will be provided to ensure no shortages. Seoul city will also sequentially offer rooms at the Suanbo Training Center (110 rooms) for displaced residents and volunteer workers. They are conducting real-time surveys on-site to maximize support for necessary supplies, such as blankets, clothing, diapers, and nutritional supplements in each area, while continuously monitoring recovery progress and maintaining public-private cooperation structures.