Latest news with #KoKi-dong
Korea Herald
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
June election to cost over W500b
Government to operate situation room to ensure election integrity ahead of early presidential elections Following the South Korean Cabinet's confirmation of June 3 as the early presidential election day, the government announced Tuesday that some 510 billion won ($344 million) of the national budget will be spent covering election costs. During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, chaired by acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the government approved a special expenditure plan to allow 395.7 billion won to be used in managing domestic and overseas voting, supporting political parties and helping local governments conduct election-related tasks. The move comes as only 2.9 billion won was initially allocated to the National Election Commission this year, making it necessary to use the government's contingency budget. Out of the 2.4 trillion won in this year's contingency funds, 1.6 trillion won allocated for elections, disasters and emergencies will cover election-related expenses exceeding the budget allocated to the NEC for elections. As for election cost reimbursements given to presidential candidates within 70 days of election day, the government estimates around 115 billion won to be used, bringing the total expected government expenditure for the early elections to over 510 billion won. For presidential candidates that garner more than 15 percent of the vote, the government fully reimburses election costs. Those who garner less than 15 percent of votes are reimbursed half of the total election costs. The campaign spending cap for each party or candidate in this election is set at around 48.4 billion won. With both the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party expected to surpass the 15 percent threshold in votes, a combined 96.8 billion won is anticipated to go into reimbursements. In a press briefing after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, the Ministry of Interior and Safety announced that it will operate a situation room to oversee the progress of legally mandated election tasks. 'Due to a vacancy in the presidency, the upcoming 21st presidential elections will be held within a short 60-day period,' said acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong. 'Given the unprecedented public interest in the upcoming elections, the ministry will provide utmost support to ensure it is conducted fairly and transparently.' Although details regarding how the situation room will operate will be announced soon, an Interior Ministry official explained to The Korea Herald that it will run similarly to how it was run during the general elections in April 2024. 'The scale of the situation room, however, will differ in terms of the personnel selected to work in it for the presidential elections, given the scale of importance the upcoming elections hold,' the ministry official added. The situation room will be required to oversee the preparation of electoral registers and cooperate with relevant agencies, including the NEC and the police. It will monitor all election-related duties by the NEC and local governments according to the election schedule while conducting on-site inspections and providing support in terms of facilities, personnel and equipment. Additionally, the situation room will be tasked with tracking major developments and incidents related to the elections and work with relevant agencies to ensure a prompt and coordinated response in support of fair and transparent elections. As for illegal election activities, including the filming of polls and generating fake news content targeting presidential candidates, Ko added that the government will respond 'strictly, in cooperation with relevant agencies such as the prosecution and police.' According to the Ministry of Justice, directives were issued to the prosecution by acting Justice Minister Kim Seok-woo, to be prepared in 'rigorously cracking down on major election crimes, such as the spread of false information, false propaganda, bribery and election-related violence.' Moreover, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency began recruiting police personnel to safeguard presidential candidates once the campaigning period begins, as the Korean National Police Agency is currently working to formulate a nationwide security plan for the upcoming elections. Once official election campaigning begins, the KNPA plans to deploy detectives, riot police and police personnel associated with local precincts to support campaign sites.
Jordan Times
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Jordan Times
Temple burned, UNESCO-site evacuated as South Korea wildfires spread
A helicopter drops water as they prepare for the possibility of a wildfire advancing towards Gounsa Temple in Uiseong today (AFP photo) UISEONG — Inhabitants of a UNESCO-listed village were ordered to evacuate while a historic Buddhist temple was burned to the ground as South Korea scrambled to contain worsening wildfires, which are tearing across the country's southeast. More than a dozen different blazes broke out over the weekend; with four people killed as dry windy weather hampered efforts to contain one of the countries worst-ever fire outbreaks, prompting the government to transfer thousands of prisoners. Early on Tuesday, acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong said the wildfires had "so far affected approximately 14,694 hectares with damage continuing to grow". The extent of damage makes the fires collectively the third largest in South Korea's history. The worst was an April 2000 blaze that scorched 23,913 hectares across the east coast. "Strong winds, dry weather, and haze are hampering fire fighting efforts," Ko told a disaster and safety meeting. The government declared a state of emergency in four regions, citing "the extensive damage caused by simultaneous wildfires" and thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate. "The wind was so strong that I couldn't stand still," Kwon So-han, a 79-year-old resident in Andong told AFP. "The fire came from the mountain and fell on my house. "Those who haven't experienced it won't know. I could only bring my body." Late on Tuesday, authorities in Andong issued an emergency alert to residents of the historic Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO-listed world heritage site popular with tourists, as the blaze drew closer. "The Uiseong Angye wildfire is moving in the direction" of that area, the alert said. "Residents are requested to evacuate immediately." In Uiseong, the sky was full of smoke and haze, AFP reporters saw, with the Korea Forest Service saying that the containment rate for the fire in that area had decreased from 60 to 55 per cent on Tuesday. Early in the morning, workers at the Gounsa Temple, which was more than a thousand years old, were attempting to move valuable artefacts and cover up Buddhist statues to protect them from possible damage. "We used fire retardant blankets," Joo Jung-wan, a Gyeongbuk Seobu Cultural Heritage Care Centre worker told AFP, saying that a giant gilded Buddha statue was too large to move so had been carefully covered. Hours later, an official at the Korea Heritage Service told AFP that the temple had been burnt down. "It is very heartbreaking and painful to see the precious temples that are over a thousand years old being lost," monk Deung-woon told AFP. Around 3,500 inmates from correctional facilities in the southeastern county of Cheongsong and Andong are being transferred to nearby prisons, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the justice ministry.
Observer
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Observer
Unesco site evacuated as South Korea wildfires spread
UISEONG: Inhabitants of a Unesco-listed village were ordered to evacuate while a historic Buddhist temple was burned to the ground as South Korea scrambled to contain worsening wildfires, which are tearing across the country's southeast. More than a dozen different blazes broke out over the weekend, with four people killed as dry windy weather hampered efforts to contain one of the country's worst-ever fire outbreaks, prompting the government to transfer thousands of prisoners. Early on Tuesday, acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong said the wildfires had "so far affected approximately 14,694 hectares (36,310 acres) with damage continuing to grow". The extent of damage makes the fires collectively the third largest in South Korea's history. The worst was an April 2000 blaze that scorched 23,913 hectares (59,090 acres) across the east coast. "Strong winds, dry weather and haze are hampering firefighting efforts," Ko told a disaster and safety meeting. The government declared a state of emergency in four regions, citing "the extensive damage caused by simultaneous wildfires" and thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate. "The wind was so strong that I couldn't stand still," Kwon So-han, a 79-year-old resident in Andong said. "The fire came from the mountain and fell on my house. "Those who haven't experienced it won't know. I could only bring my body." Late on Tuesday, authorities in Andong issued an emergency alert to residents of the historic Hahoe Folk Village -- a Unesco-listed world heritage site popular with tourists -- as the blaze drew closer. "The Uiseong Angye wildfire is moving in the direction" of that area, the alert said. "Residents are requested to evacuate immediately." In Uiseong, the sky was full of smoke and haze, AFP reporters saw, with the Korea Forest Service saying that the containment rate for the fire in that area had decreased from 60 to 55 per cent on Tuesday. Early in the morning, workers at the Gounsa Temple, which was more than a thousand years old, were attempting to move valuable artefacts and cover up Buddhist statues to protect them from possible damage. "We used fire retardant blankets," Joo Jung-wan, a Gyeongbuk Seobu Cultural Heritage Care Center worker said. Hours later, an official at the Korea Heritage Service said that the temple had been burnt down. "It is very heartbreaking and painful to see the precious temples that are over a thousand years old being lost," monk Deung-woon said. Around 3,500 inmates from correctional facilities in the southeastern county of Cheongsong and Andong are being transferred to nearby prisons, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the justice ministry. More than 6,700 firefighters have been deployed to battle the wildfires, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, with nearly two-fifths of the personnel dispatched to Uiseong. Some types of extreme weather have a well-established link with climate change, such as heatwaves or heavy rainfall. Other phenomena, such as forest fires, droughts, snowstorms and tropical storms can result from a combination of complex factors. In Daegu and the North Gyeongsang region, "the air is extremely dry and strong winds are blowing, creating the risk that even a small spark could quickly spread into a large wildfire", an official from the local meteorological administration said. The fire in Uiseong was reportedly caused by a person who was tending to a family grave site and accidentally triggered the conflagration, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. "Most wildfires are caused by human negligence and the public should strictly follow wildfire prevention guidelines," he added. Neighbouring Japan was also experiencing wildfires over the weekend, with blazes in multiple areas. Japan saw the country's worst wildfire in more than half a century earlier this month. It engulfed about 2,900 hectares — around half the size of Manhattan — and killed at least one person. — AFP
Daily Tribune
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Daily Tribune
South Korea struggles to contain deadly wildfires
Deadly wildfires in South Korea worsened overnight, officials said Tuesday, as dry, windy weather hampers efforts to contain one of the country's worst-ever fire outbreaks. More than a dozen different blazes broke out over the weekend, with the safety minister reporting thousands of hectares burned and four people killed. "The wildfires have so far affected approximately 14,694 hectares (36,310 acres), with damage continuing to grow," acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong said. The extent of damage would make the fires collectively the third-largest in South Korea's history. The largest was an April 2000 blaze that scorched 23,913 hectares (59,090 acres) across the east coast. More than 3,000 people have been evacuated to shelters, Ko said. At least 11 people have been seriously injured. "Strong winds, dry weather, and haze are hampering firefighting efforts," Ko told a disaster and safety meeting. The government is "mobilising all available resources", he said. In Uiseong, the sky was full of smoke and haze, AFP reporters saw. Workers at a local temple were attempting to move historical artefacts and cover up Buddhist statues to protect them from possible damage. The Korea Forest Service said the containment rate for the fire in Uiseong decreased from 60 to 55 percent by Tuesday morning. More than 6,700 firefighters have been deployed to battle the wildfires, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, with nearly two-fifths of the personnel dispatched to Uiseong. The government declared a state of emergency in four regions, citing "the extensive damage caused by simultaneous wildfires across the country". - Family grave - Some types of extreme weather have a well-established link with climate change, such as heatwaves or heavy rainfall. Other phenomena, such as forest fires, droughts, snowstorms and tropical storms can result from a combination of complex factors. In Daegu and the North Gyeongsang region, "the air is extremely dry and strong winds are blowing, creating the risk that even a small spark could quickly spread into a large wildfire", an official from the local meteorological administration said. The fire in Uiseong was reportedly caused by an individual visiting a family grave. The person told emergency services: "I accidentally started the fire while cleaning the grave site," according to local media.
Ammon
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Ammon
Wildfires burn about 15,000 hectares of woodland in Korea
Ammon News - The Korean government announced that wildfires raging in the southeast of the country over the past several days have burned 14,694 hectares of woodland, caused 15 casualties, including four fatalities, and left more than 3,300 people displaced, Yonhap News Agency said Tuesday. Acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong announced the latest extent of forest fire damage at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters in Seoul, saying the firefighting efforts are impeded by strong winds, dry weather and other inclement conditions. The government will mobilise all available resources, including 110 helicopters and 6,700 personnel, on Tuesday to contain the wildfires in Sancheong, Hadong and Gimhae, all in South Gyeongsang Province; Uiseong of North Gyeongsang Province; and Ulsan's Ulju district, Ko said. Firefighters had contained an average of 88 percent of the wildfires in the five regions as of 7 am Tuesday, the minister said, adding efforts will also be made to prevent the blaze from spreading to residential areas. Local governments have also implemented various safety measures, such as blocking roads and evacuating residents in advance, to minimise damage from the fires, he said. Ko noted that a total of 234 forest fires occurred nationwide this year, and most of them were caused by accidental fires by mountain visitors and burning of agricultural byproducts or trash. WAM
