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President Lee inspects Forest Service's wildfire response readiness

Published: 06 Nov. 2025, 21:43

This photo shows President Lee Jae Myung aboard a Korea Forest Service helicopter after observing a joint wildfire response drill by the Forest Service and military at the Forest Aviation Headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon, on Nov. 6. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

GANGWON — President Lee Jae Myung resumed his public schedule on Thursday with a visit to Gangwon to inspect the country's wildfire response readiness.

The visit occurred just one day after Lee canceled his official duties, having fallen ill from his demanding overseas schedule during the previous week when he attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits.

His first stop was the Korea Forest Service’s Forest Aviation Headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon, where he inspected key firefighting equipment — such as helicopters and drones — operated by the Forest Service and the military.

When one crew member asked if he had recovered from his cold, the president replied with a laugh, “It isn't contagious.”

When another official began explaining equipment with the phrase, “Sir, let me explain,” Lee joked, “There’s no such thing as ‘sir’ in Korea,” drawing laughter from those around him.

He became more serious during the inspection. “Every year, wildfires occur, and many people spend sleepless nights watching helplessly as fires engulf the land. I believe that overreacting is 100 times better than underreacting,” he said. “If we can aggressively respond at the earliest stage [of the wildfire] and extinguish the flames at the source, that would be ideal.”

He continued, “No one will blame you or hold you accountable for going overboard, so whether the water comes from a bucket or a whole cauldron, pour it.”

The president also emphasized the need for clear lines of responsibility in wildfire response and pressed Korea Forest Service Deputy Minister Lee Mi-ra for a detailed explanation of the chain of command during such events.

“From my perspective, it seems that the Forest Service should take the lead,” Lee responded after hearing her explanation. “Please discuss this [with the rest of the service] and make [designations] clear.”

He added, “If necessary, establish relevant regulations or directives to clearly appoint authority.”

Officials conduct a joint wildfire response drill by the Korea Forest Service and military at the Forest Aviation Headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon, on Nov. 6. [YONHAP]

Lee stressed the importance of the transparent and efficient use of wildfire-related budgets as well. According to presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon, Lee questioned the effectiveness of forest roads built for wildfire prevention, asking if they actually help extinguish fires.

“Budgets and projects related to wildfire response should be managed in a transparent and efficient manner that the public can trust,” Lee said, though he added, “When it comes to wildfire response, don’t think in terms of cost. Respond with full force from the beginning.”

Lee then asked Deputy Minister Lee for her opinion on whether natural regeneration or artificial reforestation is more effective for forest recovery after a fire.

“In my opinion, natural forests regenerate more quickly,” said Lee Young-soo, the presidential secretary for agriculture and forestry. “We are moving toward expanding natural forests.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON SUNG-MIN,YOON JI-WON [[email protected]]