The Ministry of Interior and Safety said on the 16th that it held the third meeting of the 'Task Force (TF) for Disaster Preparedness in Areas Affected by Wildfires' to minimize damage from concentrated rainfall during the summer.
Participants in the meeting included central ministries like the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Forest Service, as well as local governments such as Ulsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do, and specialized agencies like the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources and the Korea Steep Slope Safety Association.
Officials attending the meeting discussed the implementation status of measures and evacuation plans for residents in preparation for disaster related to landslides.
Each agency plans to select areas within the wildfire-damaged regions that require emergency restoration and to complete the restoration by June 15, before the rainy season. They will also remove dangerous trees that could topple or obstruct drainage facilities due to heavy rainfall, which could cause damage. Protection facilities will be installed for dwellings and slopes adjacent to roads at risk of secondary damage from soil runoff.
The mountainous areas burned by wildfires are at risk of erosion when it rains. Therefore, the government plans to preemptively control lower steep slopes and road slopes in anticipation of danger and quickly guide nearby residents to evacuate.
Local governments are expected to enhance village patrol observation to confirm danger levels and respond quickly, as well as support evacuation helpers and vehicles to assist vulnerable groups in evacuation.
Oh Byeong-gwon, director of the Natural Disaster Division at the Ministry of Interior and Safety, noted, "The government will mobilize all available resources to secure the safety of areas affected by wildfires and ensure thorough preparation for the summer rainy season."