The massive forest fire in the Yeongnam region has continued for five days, causing casualties and damage to property across the country. The government has raised the forest fire disaster alert to the highest level, 'serious,' and has entered a 24-hour emergency system. Although the Korea Forestry Service has launched a total response with related ministries, there are criticisms that damage has spread due to failures in initial firefighting and the limitations of nighttime responses.
As of 10 a.m. on the 26th, the total area affected by this forest fire is reported to be 17,534 hectares, with 22 confirmed deaths, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
The forest fires in Okcheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, have been fully extinguished, while four fires are ongoing in Sancheong and Hadong in Gyeongsangnam-do, and Uiseong, Andong in Gyeongsangbuk-do, and in Onyang and Unyang in Ulsan. This forest fire is the third largest in the history of domestic forest fires.
The Korea Forestry Service has activated the Central Forest Fire Accident Recovery Headquarters and is overseeing national-level responses under the 'serious' disaster alert system. Local governments in affected areas are operating integrated support headquarters centered on local initiatives.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for responding to agricultural sector damage. As the fire response level has been raised to 'serious,' the ministry has established a 'support situation room' within the Central Forest Fire Accident Recovery Headquarters. Damage reports are being compiled in cooperation with local governments, and they have also begun preparing recovery support programs.
So far, confirmed damage includes the death of 700 pigs in the Uiseong area and the burning of apple trees and livestock facilities. However, as firefighting efforts are not yet complete, the total scale of the damage has not been accurately assessed.
Minister Song Mi-ryeong of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs visited the Uiseong fire site on the 25th to check the response situation and discuss recovery plans with affected farmers. A ministry official noted, 'Once the fire is extinguished, we plan to implement support programs based on investigations by local governments, including assistance for agricultural materials and management stabilization funds.'
The restoration of communication networks is being overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT. On the 25th, the ministry raised the broadcast and communication disaster alert level to 'caution' and has been operating the 'Broadcast and Communication Disaster Response Situation Room' 24 hours a day. In Uljin County, when SK Telecom's mobile communication network was temporarily halted, a disaster roaming order was issued to KT. Afterward, SK Telecom successfully restored service through nearby lines, but the Ministry of Science and ICT continues to monitor the stability of communication networks across all regions.
The National Fire Agency has issued a national fire mobilization order, gathering firefighting resources nationwide, while the Korean National Police Agency has strengthened resident evacuation and patrols. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has urgently transported patients from nursing hospitals to safe areas, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is implementing operational restrictions on highways and railways. Local governments in regions like Chungbuk and Gangwon are also operating forest fire prevention headquarters 24 hours a day in preparation for emergencies. Both the government and local authorities are fully engaged in a 'total response.'
However, there is considerable criticism regarding the government's response to this forest fire. In a situation where nighttime operations of firefighting helicopters are not possible, damage has spread uncontrollably, and issues such as the tardiness of disaster message deliveries and inadequate evacuation guidelines have come under scrutiny. In fact, the firefighting rate for the Uiseong fire dropped from 6% on the night of the 22nd to 4.8% by early the next morning, and the affected area surged from 550 hectares to 950 hectares during the same period.
The government has acknowledged its responsibilities and pledged follow-up measures. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is acting on behalf of President Yoon Suk-yeol, stated in a public address that morning, 'We take the criticism that our response and prevention were insufficient very seriously' and added, 'Once the forest fire has been extinguished, we will assess and improve overall measures.' He continued, 'We will ensure that there is no neglect in providing emergency relief and administrative support for the recovery of the victims' daily lives.'
Experts indicate that strengthening nighttime firefighting capabilities and improving forest management systems are essential measures to prevent the spread of large-scale forest fires. Ko Gi-yeon, president of the Korean Forest Fire Society, emphasized, 'Eastern regions like Gangwon and Gyeongsang are at high risk of forest fires every year, and there seems to have been inadequate early responses and enforcement against illegal burning.' He added, 'Firefighting activities on the ground must be systematically conducted to prevent the spread of fires at night.' He continued, 'If flames are not adequately controlled at night, the burden on helicopters increases the next day, and firefighting efforts inevitably have to be repeated.'
Kang Ho-sang, an industry-academia cooperation professor at Seoul National University, stated, 'Due to climate change, large-scale forest fires will occur more frequently in the future.' He added, 'If trees are left unharvested for decades without management, the entire forest becomes kindling. We need to systematically manage forests and create sections that can serve as firebreaks.'