Disaster recovery should prioritize linking resources and information; Hope Bridge calls for public-private cooperation

[Financial News] An analysis has found that connecting private-sector resources in a timely manner to places where support is needed is crucial to helping residents return to their daily lives after a disaster. The aim is to make better use of information and resources scattered across different organizations to reduce both the concentration of aid and gaps in support.
Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association said on the 21st that, for its recently published 2026 third- and fourth-quarter issue brief, it had analyzed priorities for the association’s role based on input from 21 experts and field practitioners in relief and recovery.
Among the four main areas, “resource and information linkage” was identified as the most urgent and important function. “Policy coordination and institutionalization,” “coordination and mediation,” and “capacity building and standardization” followed.
Among the 12 specific functions, coordinating the linkage, matching and allocation of private-sector resources; integrating information on affected people’s needs and the status of support; and brokering public-private collaboration ranked first, second and third, respectively.
Disseminating best practices and providing training and consulting to private organizations were relatively lower priorities. Hope Bridge explained that this meant it was more urgent to connect available resources in a timely manner to meet affected residents’ needs than to expand training or basic assistance.
As time passes after a disaster, the support affected residents need becomes more varied, extending beyond housing and livelihoods to psychological and emotional well-being, health, care, and recovery of local communities. Hope Bridge noted that when information and resources are fragmented across organizations, aid may become concentrated in certain areas or fail to reach those who need it.
Article 4 of the Disaster Relief Act also defines the provision of temporary shelter, meals and medical services, as well as psychological recovery support, as forms of relief.
Following its designation as an Other Public Institution last March, Hope Bridge plans to strengthen its “intermediary support” function by connecting disaster victims’ needs with private-sector resources and coordinating public-private collaboration. It plans to expand its role as a point of contact connecting the government, local governments, private organizations and businesses so they can share the support affected residents need, the status of assistance and available resources, and work together.
Shin Hoon, secretary-general of Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association, said, “Disaster recovery requires support across a range of fields that no single organization can address through its efforts alone.” He added, “Taking on the public accountability expected of a public institution, we will fulfill our role as a bridge connecting the strengths of the private and public sectors.”
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