Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, acting on behalf of the president, visited the unified command center at the wildfire site in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, on the afternoon of the 24th and said, "Please take thorough safety measures for the firefighting personnel."
Acting Prime Minister Han noted that "more important than extinguishing the wildfire is ensuring that no harm comes to the firefighting personnel."
Acting Prime Minister Han thanked all the special firefighting teams, firefighters, local government officials, military and police personnel, and volunteers who have been struggling against the flames with all their might amid strong winds and smoke after receiving reports on the wildfire extinguishing and response situation from Kim Sang-seop, head of the Korea Forest Service.
Acting Prime Minister Han visited the evacuation shelter established at the Uiseong Gymnasium to comfort residents affected by the wildfire. He instructed local governments and relevant ministries to "carefully look after the support for bereaved families and victims, and ensure that there is no negligence in the recovery of daily life for the displaced, including temporary housing, meals, and supplies, and to guide residents in detail on all possible institutional means."
Acting Prime Minister Han said to the relevant authorities, "Most wildfires occur due to negligence." He urged them to actively promote the public action guidelines for wildfire prevention, including prohibiting carrying flammable substances and burning agricultural byproducts when entering mountainous areas.