Southern Region Drought Response Team (남부지역 가뭄 대응단) Set Up — Water Trucks, Water Pumps and Other Available Resources Fully Mobilized
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
On August 14, 2026, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) said that, as drought deepens in the southern regions, it is setting up a 'Southern Region Drought Response Team' (남부지역 가뭄 대응단) and strengthening water-supply measures by fully mobilizing available resources such as water trucks and water pumps.
Key facts
| Date announced | August 14, 2026 (Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 행정안전부) |
|---|---|
| Areas covered | Southern regions including Jeonnam, Gwangju and Gyeongnam |
| Reservoir storage rate | The reservoir storage rate in Miryang, Gyeongnam is 25.2%, or 33.9% of the average year's level (74.3%) |
| Implementation structure | The head of the 'Joint Inter-ministerial Drought Task Force' is raised from the ministry's Director General for Disaster Management Policy to the Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, and the 'Southern Region Drought Response Team' (남부지역 가뭄 대응단) is newly established under the task force |
| Composition of the response team | Headed by the ministry's Director General for Natural Disasters, with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Korea Meteorological Administration, the National Fire Agency and the Korea Forest Service taking part, along with Jeonnam, Gwangju and Gyeongnam |
| Resource mobilization | Available equipment such as water trucks, water pumps and pumps is identified in real time through the integrated disaster management resource system (재난관리자원 통합관리시스템, KRMS) and provided; areas that need additional resources use the KRMS 'mutual support (응원) function' |
| Transport cooperation | Equipment is transported to and deployed at sites in cooperation with national disaster management logistics companies such as CJ Logistics (CJ대한통운), Hanjin (한진), BGF Logis (BGF로지스) and Lotte Global Logistics (롯데글로벌로지스) |
| Budget | Available budget, including the Special Disaster and Safety Subsidy (재난안전특별교부세), is deployed quickly to push ahead with water-supply measures |
| Inquiries | Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Climate Disaster Management Division 044-205-6369; Disaster Resource Management Division 044-205-5274 |
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On August 14, 2026, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) said that, with drought deepening mainly in the southern regions because of the recent shortfall in rainfall, it is mounting an all-out, government-wide response that includes setting up a 'Southern Region Drought Response Team' (남부지역 가뭄 대응단). The head of the existing 'Joint Inter-ministerial Drought Task Force' is being raised from the ministry's Director General for Disaster Management Policy to the Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, and the response team is being newly established under the task force. Using the integrated disaster management resource system (재난관리자원 통합관리시스템, KRMS), the ministry identifies available equipment such as water trucks, water pumps and pumps in real time and sends it to the areas that need it, and it will quickly deploy available budget, including the Special Disaster and Safety Subsidy, to push ahead with water-supply measures.
Background — why this change
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, water shortages are serious: the reservoir storage rate in Miryang, Gyeongnam, has recently fallen to 25.2%, or 33.9% of the average year's level (74.3%). To minimize the inconvenience to residents in drought-hit areas and damage to crops, the government has also asked local governments nationwide to send the drought response resources they hold to the southern regions.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
Which agencies take part in the Southern Region Drought Response Team?
It is headed by the ministry's Director General for Natural Disasters, with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Korea Meteorological Administration, the National Fire Agency and the Korea Forest Service taking part, along with Jeonnam, Gwangju and Gyeongnam.
How is the water-supply equipment needed in drought areas secured?
Available equipment such as water trucks, water pumps and pumps stockpiled and managed by each agency is identified in real time through the integrated disaster management resource system (재난관리자원 통합관리시스템, KRMS) and provided to the areas that need it. Drought-hit areas that need additional resources can secure resources held by other agencies through the KRMS 'mutual support (응원) function'.
What can residents do?
The government said it plans to encourage residents to take part voluntarily in saving water by publicizing the public action guidelines and running campaigns.