2 .1 Trillion won Injected for Typhoon Damage Restoration

The government has decided to consider planning another supplementary budget in order to restore the damages inflicted by typhoon Maemi.

In addition, the government will inject 2.18 trillion won which is consisted of the supplementary budget and all other usable resources, and is planning to first allocate the reserve fund of 100 billion won to 8 cities and provinces.

Park Bong-hum, Minister of Ministry of Planning and Budget, said in the Special Committee on Disaster Prevention and Relief report on September 15 that, “if the fund that could be immediately used is not enough, we will consider setting another supplementary budget.”

The Minister also added that, “as soon as rebuilding plans are settled, the government will support 1.18 trillion won of disaster prevention reserve fund and another 1 trillion won that could be raised by contracts resulting in treasury obligation, and will immediately inject 100 billion won to the 8 cities and provinces where the typhoon damage had been severe.”

Contracts resulting in treasury obligation refer to the method whereby the government could set to work on credit, within the scope approved by the National Assembly each fiscal year.

Together with this, if the overall damage costs caused by the typhoon are to exceed 1.5 trillion won, the government is seeking to designate the whole country as the special disaster zone.

Kim Doo-gwan, Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs, was present at the special committee and said that, “although we initially planned to designate special disaster zones by the units of cities and districts, since the damage cost is immense, we will meticulously examine, at the Cabinet council on September 16, the measures so as to expanding and announcing the whole country as the special disaster zone.” Meanwhile, President Roh gave an instruction at the meeting with chief secretaries and assistants to “make sure that prompt investigations are conducted concerning the announcement of special disaster zones, and to seek for and report on ways to instantaneously decide on and implement actions that could be supported even during investigations.”

The Grand National Party held the permanent operation meeting on the same day and urged the government to quickly designate the special disaster zones.

Members of the permanent operation meeting and major members of the Grand National Party are scheduled to visit disaster areas of Gyungnam and Kangwon provinces on September 16, and unfold damage restoration support activities.

Ki-Jeong Ko Seung-Heon Lee koh@donga.com ddr@donga.com