On the 23rd, the leadership of both the ruling and opposition parties promised to do their utmost for disaster recovery and support in relation to the large forest fire that occurred in Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do.
Kwon Young-se, the chairman of the People Power Party's emergency response committee, posted on Facebook that he is praying for the victims and extends his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, stating, "The People Power Party will do its utmost in collaboration with the government and local governments for disaster recovery and support."
In particular, he expressed his sincere condolences for the members of the DAEWON fire crew and public officials who sacrificed themselves while fighting in the difficult field to suppress the fire, adding, "Their dedication, which remains unshaken even before the flames, will never be forgotten by all of us." He also stated, "We will further strengthen the forest fire prevention and response system to prevent such tragedies from recurring in the future."
Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader, also stated during a press briefing on current issues at the National Assembly in the afternoon that "There can be no distinction between the ruling and opposition parties in front of the lives and safety of the people," and urged, "I implore everyone to suspend all political activities and gatherings outside the party and to come together to concentrate on overcoming this national disaster." He further added, "I extend my deep condolences to the four individuals who have passed away."
He emphasized that "It is a very unfortunate reality that the government is operating under an acting system in a situation where crisis response leadership is more urgent than ever," and added, "The government must do its best to overcome the crisis with a clear responsibility system and prompt decisions to prevent a leadership vacuum from leading to command confusion or delayed responses."
Kwon Seong-dong was scheduled to participate in a support campaign for a candidate in the Asan mayoral by-election in Chungcheongnam-do that day, but canceled his schedule due to the forest fire disaster and casualties in Sancheong-gun.
Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, emphasized during a press briefing at the National Assembly that "We will do our utmost to support forest fire suppression and disaster recovery." He noted, "The government declared a disaster situation due to the spread of the forest fire. Four individuals lost their lives, and several others were injured during the firefighting process."
He stated, "I pray for the peace of the deceased and extend my condolences to the bereaved families," and added, "I hope those who were injured recover quickly." He also urged, "I ask that the Korea Forest Service, the Korea Fire Service, and other relevant agencies and local governments mobilize all available resources and personnel to suppress the forest fire," and requested, "Please take measures to prevent further casualties and property damage."
Kim Seong-hwa, the spokesperson for the Democratic Party, also stated in a written briefing, "It is heartbreaking to hear of the ongoing loss of life," and noted, "Many fire crew members are currently engaged in firefighting efforts across the country due to simultaneous forest fires." He stressed, "I urge the government and local governments to pay special attention to the safety of the deployed DAEWON members," and added, "I hope the authorities will do their utmost to ensure the safety of the residents."