President Lee Jae Myung: "The Heatwave We Saw in Foreign News Has Become Reality... We Will Mobilize the Entire Government for a Full-Scale Response"

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung instructed the government on the 6th to activate a full-scale response system until the heatwave eases, saying that the country must face the prolonged heat and worsening drought in the southern regions with extraordinary resolve.
Chairing a meeting on heatwave and drought response at the Seoul Situation Center in Government Complex Seoul, President Lee said, "The extreme heat we have never experienced before has continued day after day," and made the remarks.
He noted that temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius have persisted for several days in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. "The kind of heatwave we used to see only in foreign news has become our reality," he said. He added, "The most important duty of the government is to protect the lives and safety of the people," and called for countermeasures suited to extreme weather.
He also stressed, "All ministries and local governments should mobilize every available person and resource to do everything possible to minimize damage from the heatwave." He added, "We need to pay closer attention to vulnerable groups such as elderly people living alone and residents of jjokbang neighborhoods. For those who have difficulty using cooling facilities, we should strengthen protective measures, including visiting them directly and checking on their well-being."
He also ordered thorough on-site inspections of outdoor work sites. President Lee said, "At outdoor worksites, please thoroughly inspect whether work stoppages or rest periods during the hottest hours are being properly implemented," and added, "The relevant authorities should do their utmost to ensure that safety rules are strictly followed on site." He also urged officials to "make every effort to prevent damage to livestock, farmed fish, and crops, and closely manage the safety of roads, railways and other infrastructure, as well as the power supply situation."

He also called for preemptive measures against the drought spreading across the southern regions. President Lee said, "The drought is worsening, especially in the southern provinces, so preemptive action is needed," and added, "Since there is no rain forecast for the time being, we must actively push ahead with alternative water supply and the operation of pumping equipment to ensure a stable water supply without disruption." He also said, "In areas without tap water, such as islands and mountainous regions, I hope we can pursue not only short-term measures like emergency water delivery, but also medium- to long-term plans to secure water sources, such as developing alternative water sources."
President Lee emphasized, "We must mobilize all administrative resources so that damage to the public from the heatwave and drought can be minimized." He added, "Each agency should respond with a strong sense of responsibility so that measures the public can actually feel are carried out, and we must also carefully safeguard the health and safety of frontline responders, including civil servants, police officers, firefighters and volunteers."

[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter