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Daegu to restrict mountain access, form disaster response team of ex-special forces

Published: 31 Mar. 2025, 14:39 Updated: 31 Mar. 2025, 17:20

Firefighters contain a wildfire that originated from nearby Uiseong County in Andong City, North Gyeongsang, on March 27. [KIM JONG-HO]

Daegu will restrict public access to most of the mountains in the city this spring and establish Korea’s first dedicated disaster response team in an effort to prevent large-scale wildfires.

The city government announced Monday it will issue an administrative order banning entry to major forested areas and prohibiting the use of fire near or within mountain zones from April 1. The decision follows a series of devastating wildfires in the country, including a recent blaze in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang, that took more than a week to extinguish.

The order, grounded in multiple laws including the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety, the Forest Protection Act, the Natural Parks Act and the Waste Control Act, prohibits open flames, smoking and waste burning in designated areas. The ban will remain in effect indefinitely.

The restricted zones include popular hiking destinations such as Palgongsan, Apsan and Biseulsan, as well as high-risk areas like Amisan, Choryesan, Majungsan and Daedeoksan. Mountains with a history of wildfires, including Hamjisan and Gubongsan, are also covered by the order.

For Palgongsan National Park, the Korea National Park Service has decided to close 17 of the park’s 21 trails starting March 31, following consultations with the Ministry of Environment.

To minimize inconvenience, Daegu has exempted certain locations from the ban, including city parks with designated paths, temples with official access routes, licensed lodgings and restaurants, and cable car facilities. Violations may result in fines or criminal charges. Causing a wildfire, even unintentionally, could lead to up to three years in prison.

In addition to the access restrictions, Daegu is preparing to launch a new disaster response team to strengthen its initial response capabilities. The city plans to expand its existing forest disaster unit — established in 2022 — into a comprehensive emergency disaster response team, the first of its kind in Korea.

The unit will be staffed by approximately 20 specialists, including veterans of the military and police with experience in special operations forces such as the Underwater Demolition Team, the Army Special Forces and the Marine Corps. The team will be hired through new and special recruitment processes.

The unit will be dispatched not only to forest fires and landslides but also to industrial accidents such as explosions, collapses and environmental contamination. Responsibilities will include rapid site assessment and reporting to the city’s disaster command center to facilitate timely and accurate decision-making.

During a wildfire in Dalseong County on Wednesday, Daegu’s forest disaster unit played a key role in quickly bringing the fire under control, according to the city.

“With no rain forecast in the near future and dry conditions expected to continue, these measures are necessary,” said Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo. “We ask for the public’s full cooperation in complying with the fire ban and access restrictions to protect our forests and communities.”

As of Sunday, the wildfires had killed around 30 people and left a total of 75 casualties. Authorities estimate more than 48,000 hectares (118,610 acres) of land have been affected, with around 3,000 homes destroyed.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]