The government decided on the 1st to mobilize 400 military water tank vehicles in Gangneung, where a disaster situation was declared due to drought. This follows the supply of 2,500 tons (t) of water with more than 70 fire trucks by the National Fire Command Order until the day before, August 31.
On this day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held a drought response meeting in Gangneung, chaired by Kim Kwang-yong, the head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, and announced this support plan.
Attendees at the meeting included officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, the National Fire Agency, Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water).
This meeting is the first meeting to discuss drought measures since a disaster situation was declared in Gangneung on August 30 at the direction of the President. It was convened to implement necessary measures in a timely manner at the site to alleviate the drought.
The military and the fire department reviewed plans to supply additional water to major water sources using the water supply vehicles, water tanks, and other equipment and resources held by each agency.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs discussed various measures, including utilizing nearby reservoirs to secure additional water sources and installing dams and seawater desalination facilities.
Additionally, to quickly assess the drought situation in the Gangneung area and respond immediately on-site, a 'Government-Wide Gangneung Drought Response Field Support Team' will be operated starting today. The on-site support team will consist of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Fire Agency, Gangwon Province, Gangneung City, and Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC).
The on-site support team manages the drought situation directly on-site by supplying water in various ways and distributing donated bottled water.
Kim Kwang-yong, the head of the headquarters, noted, 'The government is mobilizing all available personnel and equipment to respond to the drought for the citizens of Gangneung who are experiencing inconvenience due to water shortages' and urged, 'the public should take an interest in the water-sharing movement and actively participate.'