Yoon orders gov't to mobilize 'all resources' to respond to heavy rains

Politics

Published: 17 Jul. 2023, 10:27 Updated: 17 Jul. 2023, 10:45

Yoon orders gov't to mobilize 'all resources' to respond to heavy rains

President Yoon Suk Yeol presides over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to respond to the recent torrential rains resulting in many casualties at the government complex in central Seoul on Monday morning. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the government to mobilize all available resources to cope with the aftermath of the recent heavy rainfall in a disaster relief meeting in Seoul Monday.

Yoon presided over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the government complex in central Seoul, which comes as the number of people dead or missing in recent downpours, flooding and landslides has risen to 49.

Earlier that morning, Yoon returned from an eight-day trip to Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.

During the meeting, attended both in person and virtually by ministers and heads of related agencies, Yoon instructed officials to promptly pursue all necessary follow-up measures, such as designating special disaster zones.

"We must take the current situation seriously and mobilize all available resources, including the military and police," Yoon said, calling to make "every effort" at the sites of the incidents so that rescue operations can be carried out swiftly.

"There is no way to hold back the grief and regret in my heart," Yoon said as he extended his condolences to the victims and their families.

"It can be assessed that risky sites such as landslide-prone areas have not been properly managed, aggravating the situation," Yoon said. "If the basic principles of disaster response are not followed, it is difficult to secure the safety of the people."

He stressed the importance of preemptively deciding to evacuate residents to a safe place from risky areas and controlling traffic, calling such measures the "basic principle to prevent human casualties."

He urged swift "recovery work and disaster damage support."

Yoon noted that the monsoon season is not over yet, and torrential rain is forecast for Tuesday.

"In the future, this kind of extreme weather will become a daily occurrence," Yoon said, pointing to the climate crises, adding, "we have to completely overhaul our perception that the situation is inevitable because it is an anomaly."

Yoon said he monitored the torrential rain and flooding in Korea during his overseas trip in real-time.

On Saturday, Yoon convened a meeting on the train with his aides on the government's response to the situation while en route to Warsaw after a surprise visit to Ukraine for a summit with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and first lady Kim Keon-hee arrive on the presidential jet at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Monday morning after an eight-day trip that took them to Lithuania, Poland and a surprise stop in Ukraine. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]