The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 6th that it has additionally designated 16 cities, counties, and districts, as well as 20 towns and neighborhoods that suffered damage from heavy rains last month, as special disaster areas.
This follows the additional designation on July 22 for six cities and counties including Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province, Seosan in South Chungcheong Province, Yesan, Damyang in South Jeolla Province, and Sangcheon and Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province.
The areas newly designated include ▲ Bukgu in Gwangju Metropolitan City ▲ Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province ▲ Cheonan, Gongju, Asan, Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province, Buyeo County, Cheongyang County, and Hongseong County ▲ Naju and Hampyeong County in South Jeolla Province ▲ Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province ▲ Jinju, Uiryeong County, Hadong County, and Hamyang County in South Gyeongsang Province.
The towns and neighborhoods include ▲ Eoryong-dong and Samdo-dong in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City ▲ Jeondong-myeon in Sejong ▲ Ok-san-myeon and Ochang-eup in Cheongju City, North Chungcheong Province ▲ Pangyo-myeon and Biin-myeon in Seocheon County, South Chungcheong Province ▲ Daap-myeon in Gwangyang City, South Jeolla Province; Ganjeon-myeon and Toji-myeon in Gurye County, Hwasun County's Iseo-myeon, Yeonggwang County's Gunam-myeon and Yeomsan-myeon, and Jido-eup, Imja-myeon, Ja-eun-myeon, and Heuksan-myeon in Sinan County ▲ Mu-an-myeon in Miryang City, South Gyeongsang Province, and Namsang-myeon and Sinwon-myeon in Geochang County.
To declare additional special disaster areas, the government conducted a joint central investigation from July 27 to August 2. It then designated cities, counties, and districts, as well as town and neighborhood units that met the declaration criteria as special disaster areas.
Regions designated as special disaster areas can receive some recovery costs covered by the national government, which local governments are responsible for. Additionally, residents affected in these areas will be offered disaster support funds along with relief from national and local government tax payments, and reductions in public utility costs.
Minister Yoon Ho-jung said, "We will do our best to ensure that affected residents and regions can quickly return to their daily lives through the establishment of a rapid recovery plan and the execution of recovery budgets."