North Gyeongsang begins relief efforts for residents displaced by wildfires
Published: 31 Mar. 2025, 13:07
Updated: 31 Mar. 2025, 19:13
![A factory building and materials in the Namhu Agricultural and Industrial Complex in Andong, North Gyeongsang are seen after being burned by wildfires on March 31. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/31/844c2829-79bf-43d0-8d25-6180ee32deff.jpg)
A factory building and materials in the Namhu Agricultural and Industrial Complex in Andong, North Gyeongsang are seen after being burned by wildfires on March 31. [YONHAP]
Authorities in North Gyeongsang have begun rolling out emergency measures to support residents and rebuild areas devastated by a series of massive wildfires that swept through the northern region last week. North Gyeongsang Provincial Government is prioritizing housing and economic support for displaced residents and has formally requested the central government to pass a special law aimed at accelerating wildfire recovery.
The province announced on Monday that it will provide 300,000 won ($220) in emergency relief payments per person to residents in five heavily affected cities and counties: Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok.
The wildfires, which raged from March 22 to Friday, resulted in unprecedented damage. Nationwide, the total area burned spans approximately 48,239 hectares — roughly 80 percent the size of Seoul. In North Gyeongsang alone, over 3,400 homes and 2,100 agricultural facilities were destroyed. At least 30 people died and 45 others were injured, making this one of Korea’s deadliest wildfire disasters.
As of 8 a.m. Monday, 34,816 people had evacuated due to the fires, and 2,830 of them have yet to return home. The North Gyeongsang provincial government is distributing essential supplies, including meals, clothing, toiletries and blankets, while also offering mobile medical services and psychological counseling.
To provide more stable housing, evacuees currently staying in gyms, schools and other temporary shelters will be relocated to more comfortable accommodations. These include government or corporate training centers, hotels, resorts and nearby air domes. Over time, residents will be moved into modular homes and eventually permanent housing built specifically for wildfire victims.
Residents of four severely affected villages will receive 100 modular housing units, and an additional 26 prefabricated homes will be installed through the Korea Disaster Relief Association and other organizations. All displaced residents who wish to move in will be provided with emergency housing to support a return to daily life.
The province is also preparing support measures for small businesses and entrepreneurs who lost their livelihoods in the fires. The region is expected to be designated both an “employment crisis zone” by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and a “special support zone for small businesses” by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Business owners will be eligible for compensation for lost income, subsidies for insurance and pension contributions, and access to low-interest loans.
![North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo announces the five major directions for wildfire response at the wildfire scene command center set up in the temporary office of Uiseong County Office in North Gyeongsang on March 28. [NORTH GYEONGSANG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/31/feec9381-34be-47c4-85d4-3c0b9373af4b.jpg)
North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo announces the five major directions for wildfire response at the wildfire scene command center set up in the temporary office of Uiseong County Office in North Gyeongsang on March 28. [NORTH GYEONGSANG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]
The provincial government also plans to promote livelihood stability through emergency disaster relief funds. In relation to the relief fund to be paid individually to approximately 270,000 residents, the North Gyeongsang Provincial Assembly held a meeting on Monday and processed the emergency disaster relief fund agenda to overcome wildfire damage.
It is also pushing for national legislation to support long-term recovery and development in the wildfire-hit region. The proposed law would provide a legal foundation for building new housing communities for displaced residents and channel focused investment into regional redevelopment. The aim is to transform Korea’s approach to forest policy and disaster response in light of the increasing frequency and scale of wildfires driven by climate change.
“Given the likelihood of more frequent and severe wildfires due to climate change, Korea must overhaul its forest management and disaster response systems,” said North Gyeongsang Governor Lee Cheol-woo. “We urgently need heavy-lift helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and nighttime firefighting equipment capable of deploying over 10,000 liters of water in a single operation to control fires in their early stages.”
Meanwhile, a joint memorial altar has been set up in Daegu to honor residents of North Gyeongsang who lost their lives in the wildfires. A steady stream of people have visited the site to pay their respects, as the city pledges full support for recovery efforts in the neighboring region.
The Daegu Metropolitan Government announced that the memorial, located at the Ahn Byung-geun Olympic Memorial Judo Hall in Dalseo District, opened Monday at 2 p.m. and will remain in operation through April 4. Civil servants and volunteers are on-site to assist mourners with offerings and floral tributes.
A factory building and materials in the Namhu Agricultural and Industrial Complex in Andong, North Gyeongsang are seen unrecognizable after being burned by wildfires on March 31. [YONHAP]
Officials explained that while emergency response efforts are still ongoing, the city decided to open the memorial early to allow citizens to begin the mourning process. Daegu and North Gyeongsang share a long-standing cultural and regional connection, and many Daegu residents have roots in the Yeongnam region.
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and senior city officials were among the first to visit the memorial on Monday.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” said Hong. “We hope for a swift recovery and will do everything we can to support those affected.”
The city also unveiled a wildfire relief package on Monday, allocating 5 billion won from its disaster relief fund, providing 1 billion won each to Uiseong County, Andong, Cheongsong County, Yeongyang County and Yeongdeok County, the areas hardest hit by the fires. This follows a previous donation of 1 billion won on March 25.
![On the 28th, Lee Sang-hak, village head of Dapgok 2-ri, Seokbo-myeon, pays tribute to the victims of the wildfire that swept the North Gyeongsang region at the joint memorial set up in the lawn square in front of the Yeongyang County Office in North Gyeongsang on March 28. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/31/3f8a1dd5-19a2-443e-8499-64b742efdae8.jpg)
On the 28th, Lee Sang-hak, village head of Dapgok 2-ri, Seokbo-myeon, pays tribute to the victims of the wildfire that swept the North Gyeongsang region at the joint memorial set up in the lawn square in front of the Yeongyang County Office in North Gyeongsang on March 28. [YONHAP]
In addition, the Daegu Agro-Fisheries Wholesale Market Authority and associated vendors pledged 240 million won in donations to support local farmers affected by the wildfires.
Daegu is also providing emergency supplies for displaced residents, including 15,000 essential items such as undergarments and socks, and 12,000 medical-grade face masks. To support medical efforts on the ground, the city has dispatched seven healthcare workers from Daegu Medical Center.
Roughly 300 residents of nursing homes and facilities for people with disabilities in the affected areas will be temporarily relocated to similar facilities within Daegu. Daegu Medical Center will also accept evacuees in need of treatment. To prepare for incoming patients, the city has activated its emergency room for round-the-clock care and added 36 more hospital beds.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JUNG-SEOK, BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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