Lee Jae-myung, the representative of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, where a forest fire had occurred, and promised swift support.
On the 26th, Representative Lee visited the Andong Gymnasium, consoled those affected by the disaster, and then met with reporters, saying, "We should prepare housing support in advance to ensure they can quickly return to their livelihoods."
He added, "Given the scale of the disaster, I’m worried that there may not be enough supplies nationwide," and noted, "I will start to take care of this from now on."
Representative Lee went to his hometown of Andong immediately after being acquitted in the appellate trial for violating the Public Official Election Act. The fire, which started in Uiseong, has spread to Andong, threatening Hahoe Folk Village and Byeongsan Seowon.
According to Spokesperson Hwang Jung-ah, Representative Lee, who visited the Andong Gymnasium, said to the disaster victims, "Isn’t this what the country should be doing? The government collects taxes to find ways for the people to survive during such disaster situations." Representative Lee plans to consult with the Administrative Safety Committee to explore support measures for the disaster victims, including modular housing.
On that day, Lee's visit included North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, Andong Mayor Kwon Gi-chang, Chairperson Shin Jeong-hoon of the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee, Supreme Council member Kim Byeong-joo, Representative Moon Dae-rim, and Representative Han Byeong-do.
Spokesperson Hwang stated, "(Representative Lee) had many worries as the damage situation became increasingly serious, regardless of the verdict. As soon as the verdict was announced, he left the court to visit the site."
Meanwhile, immediately after being acquitted, Representative Lee told reporters, "If the prosecution and the administration had used the resources they devoted to fabricating evidence and manipulating the case against Lee Jae-myung to prevent forest fires or improve people's lives, how much better would the world be?"