Baeksu-eup in Yeonggwang-gun declared a special disaster zone — deferred national and local taxes and reduced utility bills added
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
Baeksu-eup in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, was declared a special disaster zone on September 17, 2026. Affected residents can receive disaster relief payments along with added support such as deferred national and local tax payments and reduced utility bills.
Key facts
| Declaration date | Presidential approval at around 9 p.m. on September 17, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Area covered | Baeksu-eup, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City |
| Cause of damage | Heavy rain from August 28 to September 1, 2026 — up to 107.5 mm per hour and 579.5 mm in total in Yeonggwang-gun |
| Added support | Part of the local government’s share of recovery costs additionally covered by the national budget, and indirect support for affected residents such as deferred national and local tax payments and reduced utility bills |
| Disaster relief payments | Provided to affected residents regardless of whether a special disaster zone is declared |
| Declaration criteria | A city, county or district qualifies when damage exceeds 8.25 billion won, which is 2.5 times the 3.3 billion won national subsidy threshold; an eup, myeon or dong qualifies when damage exceeds 825 million won, which is 1/10 of that |
| Damage survey | Central joint survey by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, September 11–14, 2026 |
| Inquiries | Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Recovery Support Division (복구지원과) 044-205-5314; Disaster Field Support Division (재난현장지원총괄과) 044-205-5514 |
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The government said Baeksu-eup (백수읍) in Yeonggwang-gun (영광군), Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (전남광주통합특별시), was declared a special disaster zone (특별재난지역) with presidential approval at around 9 p.m. on September 17, 2026. Heavy rain that continued from August 28 to September 1, 2026 brought up to 107.5 mm per hour and 579.5 mm in total to Yeonggwang-gun, flooding homes and farmland and damaging roads, rivers and other facilities. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) carried out a central joint survey from September 11 to 14, and the survey confirmed that the scale of damage in Baeksu-eup met the criteria for a special disaster zone declaration. When an area is declared a special disaster zone, part of the local government’s share of recovery costs is additionally covered by the national budget, and affected residents receive added indirect support such as deferred national and local tax payments and reduced utility bills.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
What changes when an area is declared a special disaster zone?
Part of the local government’s share of recovery costs is additionally covered by the national budget, easing its fiscal burden, and affected residents receive added indirect support such as deferred national and local tax payments and reduced utility bills.
Do residents of areas that were not declared miss out on disaster relief payments?
Disaster relief payments are provided to affected residents regardless of whether a special disaster zone is declared.
What is the declaration standard for an eup, myeon or dong?
A city, county or district is declared when damage in the area exceeds 8.25 billion won, which is 2.5 times the national subsidy threshold of 3.3 billion won; an eup, myeon or dong becomes eligible when damage exceeds 825 million won, which is 1/10 of the standard for its city, county or district.