Seoul: Acting President Han Duck-soo instructed the acting interior minister Thursday to reside in North Gyeongsang Province and oversee relief efforts for wildfire victims until the blazes are brought under control, his office said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Han's instruction to acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong, chief of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH), came as wildfires have ravaged the southeastern region since last Friday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 30 others.
More than 37,000 have been forced to flee their homes, according to the CDSCH. "It is worrying that many of the victims are senior citizens, including patients at nursing hospitals," Han was quoted as saying. "Please personally take care of the victims' health and safety on the ground and activate an efficient support system so that the wildfire-extinguishing personnel and volunteer workers do not burn out."