Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stated on the 29th, "The government will spare no administrative and financial support until the disaster victims fully recover their daily lives."
Acting Prime Minister Han said during a meeting of the Central Disaster Management Headquarters on the government Seoul Office that day, "From now on, we must focus on monitoring the backfire so that the flames do not re-ignite," adding, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility to ensure that the government does everything it can to help heal the wounds of those affected by the forest fire." He continued, "While the main fire has disappeared in most areas, the risk of embers rekindling still remains, so we must now focus on monitoring the backfire."
The Central Disaster Management Headquarters reported that, as of 6 a.m. that day, 29 people have died due to the forest fire. There were also 10 serious injuries and 31 minor injuries. The number of disaster victims who evacuated due to the fire and have not yet returned home was tallied at 4,193 households, affecting 6,885 individuals.
Acting Prime Minister Han also said, "I pray for the repose of the souls of the 30 individuals who lost their lives due to the forest fire and extend my deepest condolences to their families," adding that "Unfortunately, this forest fire damage seems likely to surpass that of the Donghae forest fire in 2000, which was the largest in history in every aspect." He continued, "We are currently operating a 'Central Joint Support Center' to provide emergency relief, medical, and legal assistance in a one-stop manner, and we will focus all our efforts to minimize the inconveniences for the disaster victims going forward."
Acting Prime Minister Han also noted, "Temperatures are expected to drop significantly this weekend, raising concerns for the health of residents staying in shelters," and urged, "Each local government should take special care with facility heating and ensure sufficient support for warm items such as blankets."