South Korea - The Korea Times

Korea grapples with worst wildfires in its history

Wildfires that swept through southeastern Korea were possibly the worst in the nation's history, killing at least 27 people, destroying almost 37,000 hectares of forest and displacing more than 37,000 residents, the government said Thursday. The fire that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, on March 21 is spreading at a record speed of 8.2 kilometers per hour as of 2 p.m., the fire authorities said. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, 37,185 people had evacuated their homes as of 5 a.m. Thursday. Among them, 29,911 are from Uiseong and Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, where the wildfire damage is most severe. While 20,486 evacuees have returned home, 16,700 remained in shelters. The fires have destroyed over 2,572 buildings, including houses, temples and factories. Forest and firefighting authorities deployed 4,635 personnel and 79 helicopters to battle the blaze in 10 regions as of 5 a.m. Thursday. The damaged forest area had reached 36,900 hectares, surpassing the country's previous record for the worst wildfire in 2000, which destroy

Mar 27, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea grapples with worst wildfires in its history

Raging wildfires consume cultural landmarks, endanger UNESCO sites

As deadly wildfires, driven by dry winds, continue to sweep through Korea's southeast, a string of cultural and natural heritage sites have fallen victim to the raging flames. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) reported 15 instances of damage to state-managed cultural heritage sites. The service issued a national disaster warning for heritage sites the previous day, designating it as "severe" — the highest level in the country’s four-tier warning system. Among the most heavily damaged structures is the millennium-old Goun Temple in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province. The historic Buddhist temple, originally erected in 681 during the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE – 935 CE), suffered devastating losses. While its relics — paintings, manuscripts and statues — were successfully relocated elsewhere in the province, the monastic complex was reduced to ashes by around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday. Among the destroyed buildings were Yeonsujeon Hall and Gaun-ru Pavilion, both designated as state treasures. Other monuments that sustained fire damage include the scenic Chiljokny

Mar 26, 2025By Park Han-sol

Raging wildfires consume cultural landmarks, endanger UNESCO sites

Death toll rises to 26 as wildfires ravage Korea's southeast

Deadly wildfires that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, swept across Korea's southeast, leaving at least 26 dead, 19 injured and displacing over 27,000 people. The fires, driven by strong winds and dry weather, have ravaged seven neighboring cities and counties, the government said Wednesday, destroying over 31,000 hectares of forest and 257 buildings, including houses, temples and factories. Authorities planned to deploy 87 helicopters to extinguish the fire in densely populated areas and mobilize 5,421 personnel. However, strong winds are hindering firefighting efforts. A firefighting helicopter crashed on a mountain in Uiseong at 12:54 p.m. while carrying out a water supply operation, killing the pilot, according to the Korea Forest Service. The cause of the accident is under investigation. In the meantime, forest authorities halted firefighting operations of all helicopters across the affected regions. In Andong, a man in his 80s was found burned to death at a house that was completely destroyed by fire around 11 a.m., according to police. As a result, the wildfire death t

Mar 26, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Death toll rises to 26 as wildfires ravage Korea's southeast

Wildfires spread, fanned by strong winds, in southeastern region as death toll climbs to 18

Firefighters were scrambling Wednesday to contain a wave of wildfires that tore through the southeastern region and killed at least 18, but strong winds and dry weather have continued to hamper efforts to limit the spread of wildfires. Scores of firefighting helicopters, about 5,000 personnel and some 560 pieces of equipment were mobilized, but the wildfires that began in Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province last Friday have spread across the region's northeast. For five days, the fires have spread to nearby Uiseong and were advancing to neighboring Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok. Of the 18 victims, two were found in Andong, three were in Cheongsong, six were in Yeongyang and seven in Yeongdeok, officials said. In Yeongyang, four of the five victims were found burned to death on a road at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday, acting President Han Duck-soo called for all-out efforts to help prevent the further spread of the deadly wildfires, describing them as "the worst ever wildfires." So far, the wildfires have destroyed 17,000 hectares of forest and 209 houses a

Mar 26, 2025By yonhap

Wildfires spread, fanned by strong winds, in southeastern region as death toll climbs to 18

Wildfires become uncontrollable, spread nationwide amid strong winds

Wildfires in the southeastern part of Korea appear to be getting out of control due to strong winds and extremely dry weather, burning over 15,000 hectares of woodland and causing 16 deaths, the forest authorities said Tuesday. A massive forest fire that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, has advanced for four days, spreading to Andong, Cheongsong, Juwangsan National Park, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok, which is located 63 kilometers from Uiseong. The Korea Forest Service announced at 4 p.m. Tuesday that it had issued a national crisis warning for forest fire disasters in the "severe" stage for all regions nationwide. Firefighting operations are underway but deployed personnel face difficulties in approaching the fire sites due to smoke from the forest fires that spread at night, according to forest authorities. A woman in her 60s was found burned to death near the wildfire site in Cheongsong, according to police. The Andong city government ordered all residents to evacuate at 5 p.m., saying, "The forest fires are spreading throughout the jurisdiction." Water supply facilities were d

Mar 25, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Wildfires become uncontrollable, spread nationwide amid strong winds

Korea aims to recycle 20% of key critical minerals by 2030: ministry

Korea will work to facilitate the growth of the critical mineral recycling industry, with a goal of achieving a 20 percent recycling rate of key critical minerals by 2030, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the plan as part of a broader government initiative aimed at stabilizing supply chains. Under the plan, the ministry will work to foster the growth of the critical mineral recycling industry by streamlining related regulations, creating industrial clusters and expanding infrastructure for companies in the sector. Through such efforts, the country aims to recycle 20 percent of strategic critical minerals essential for advanced industries, like batteries and semiconductors, by 2030. The key strategic minerals include lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and five types of rare earth elements. (Yonhap)

Mar 25, 2025By yonhap

Korea aims to recycle 20% of key critical minerals by 2030: ministry

Beloved panda Fu Bao to meet Chinese visitors again after four months

Giant panda Fu Bao, who sparked health concerns late last year, is returning to public view at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan Province, China, after nearly four months in isolation. “Fu Bao will meet you all tomorrow (25th). We’re looking forward to it,” the center said Monday via its official Weibo account, sharing a short video showing the panda's current condition. Fu Bao had shown signs of distress, including convulsions, on Dec. 3 last year and had since been cared for in an off-exhibit area. The center said it conducted continuous and detailed examinations of Fu Bao and provided customized medical care, concluding that the panda is now in good health. In the video, Fu Bao appears to be eating without issue, a stark contrast to footage from early last year when she trembled while eating bamboo shoots. The center also said it had disinfected Fu Bao’s habitat and replenished plants and other environmental elements in preparation for her return to public viewing. Fu Bao was born in July 2020 to Le Bao and Ai Bao, two pandas gifted by Chinese Presid

Mar 25, 2025By KTimes

Beloved panda Fu Bao to meet Chinese visitors again after four months

Evacuation order issued for firefighters, some residents in Uiseong over wildfire amid strong wind

Authorities ordered firefighters and some residents to evacuate as wildfires in the southeastern county of Uiseong are expected to spread to other regions amid a forecast for strong wind, officials said Monday. The county of Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province issued an emergency text alert at 2:34 p.m ordering firefighters in the mountains to flee to a safe location. The measures came amid a forecast for strong wind with a maximum wind speed of up to 15 meters per second in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province in the afternoon. "(The wind) is not expected to be strong enough to meet the criteria to issue heavy wind alerts, with maximum wind speed exceeding 20 mph, but it is still going to be strong wind," a local weather forecaster said. In response, the county of Uiseong sent out text messages to residents to take shelter at elementary schools, community halls and gymnasiums. The nearby city of Andong also ordered the immediate evacuation of its residents in some regions to nearby schools. (Yonhap)

Mar 24, 2025By yonhap

Evacuation order issued for firefighters, some residents in Uiseong over wildfire amid strong wind

Korea faces growing need to prepare for wildfires amid climate crisis

Korea has experienced significant damage from around 50 simultaneous wildfires across the country, prompting growing calls for improved preparedness and prevention in response to the rise of extreme fire events globally due to climate change. As of Monday, over 8,700 hectares of forest, equivalent to 12,300 football fields, were damaged nationwide by wildfires that broke out over the weekend, according to the Korea Forest Service. The fires caused at least four deaths and forced more than 2,700 residents to evacuate, mostly in southeastern regions of the country and over 6,500 personnel have been deployed in firefighting operations. The first and most serious wildfire, which started on Friday in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, was 70 percent contained as of Monday following overnight firefighting efforts involving over 2,500 personnel. Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province, where large-scale wildfires broke out on Saturday and caused the most extensive damage, has had about 65 percent of the fire extinguished with the efforts of 2,602 personnel. The government designated Uiseong, Ulj

Mar 24, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea faces growing need to prepare for wildfires amid climate crisis

Gov't declares state of disaster for wildfires in southeast; 4 found dead

The government declared a national disaster Saturday over massive wildfires in southeastern regions that have claimed four lives. The measure took effect in Ulsan, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang provinces as of 6 p.m., the Ministry of Interior and Safety said. The announcement followed acting President Choi Sang-mok's recommendation to issue the declaration in order to implement comprehensive measures to combat the disaster and aid recovery efforts. Choi also ordered government officials to consider designating the affected areas as special disaster zones. Shortly before the declaration, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, chaired by acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong, began operation, the ministry said. The decision came as multiple wildfires were reported in Ulsan and southeastern counties, including Sancheong. The county office said two missing fire officials were found dead, raising the death toll to four. Six people, including one resident, were injured. Eight villages in Sancheong were placed under evacuation orders as strong winds hampered firefighti

Mar 22, 2025By yonhap

Environment & Animals