Special disaster zone

A special disaster zone (특별재난지역/特別災難地域) which suffered from natural disaster or large scale man-made incidents are entitled to emergency relief and special administrative, fiscal, financial and medical support from the government.

The government may declare a special disater zone and provide necessary assistance to the sufferers and the affected region. See the statistical diagram regarding special disaster zones in the past few years. For further information in Korean, consult One Click, Practical Law service.

In the late August 2012, the government was swift in declaring special disaster zones for the region in South Cholla Province hit severely by two consecutive typhoons. But in the early October 2012, the government was under fire for its retarded response to, and belated declaration of a special disaster zone for, the toxic (hydrofluoric acid) gas leak at a chemical plant in the Gumi Industrial Complex, North Gyeongsang Province.

Key words
disaster, damage, sufferer, relief, fiscal support

Declaration of Special Disastor Zone
Under the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety (재난 및 안전관리 기본법, hereinafter referred to as the "Act"), the Head of the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters may, subject to the deliberation of the central committee, propose the President to declare a special disaster zone for the region where any of the following disater has taken place and special measures are deemed necessary for the national security, social order, or effective recovery from sufferings. Article 59 of the Act, and Article 68(1) of the Enforcement Decree of the Act.
 * Typhoon, flood, heavy rains, storm, high seas, tsunami, heavy snow, lightning, drought, earthquake, yellow dust, red tides and other natural phenomenon equivalent hereto occured and caused damage exceeding 2.5 times threshold amount applicable to the prescribed fiscal support; Article 3 i Ga of the Act, Article 68(1) of the Enforcement Decree of the Act.
 * Fire, collapse, explosion, traffic accident, CBR (chemical, biological and radiological) accident, environmental pollution incident and other similar accident beyond the damage specified by the Presidential Decree;
 * Functional paralysis of energy, telecommunications, transportation, financial services, medical services, water supply and other infrastructure;
 * Spreading of epidemic or livestock disease beyond the administrative or fiscal capacity of the affected city, county or borrough; or
 * Other disaster of which damage is overwhelmingly enormous and special countermeasures on the nationallevel are urgently necessary for the effective recovery.

Notification of Special Disastor Zone
Upon the proposal as mentioned above, the President may declare a special disaster zone for the relevant region. Article 60(1) of the Act.

Following the President's declaration of the special disaster zone, the geographical scope of the special disaster zone shall be notified. Article 69 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act.

Government Support
The sufferers of the special disaster zone declared by the President are entitled to emergency relief and special administrative, fiscal, financial and medical support necessary for recovery from the government and local governments. Article 61 of the Act.

Special Support
Special support to the special disaster zone shall be as follows as the case may be. Article 70(1) of the Enforcement Decree of the Act.
 * Additional fiscal support;
 * Relief for sufferers;
 * Subsistence support and exemption of school fees for students;
 * Extension or rescheduling of loans, reduction or exemption of interests, reduction or exemption of tax, in particular, for businesses, etc.

Support for Recovery
√ 재난복구사업을 위한 지원

1. 주택 복구 2. 농경지 및 염전 복구 3. 농림시설·농작물 및 산림작물의 복구 4. 축산물 증식시설의 복구와 가축 등의 입식(入殖) 5. 어선과 어망·어구의 복구 6. 수산물의 증식 및 양식 시설의 복구와 수산생물의 입식 7. 공공시설의 복구 8. 그 밖에 중앙본부장이 필요하다고 인정하는 피해의 복구

Other Financial Assistance
√ 그 밖에 재난대책을 위하여 필요한 비용 지원

1. 가뭄지역의 각종 용수 공급 등 가뭄대책 비용 2. 손실보상금 3. 중앙본부장이 재난의 예방 및 복구 등을 위하여 필요하다고 인정하는 쓰레기 등의 처리 비용 4. 그 밖에 중앙재난안전대책본부 회의에서 결정된 지원 사항 · 의료·방역·방제(防除) 및 쓰레기수거 활동 등에 대한 지원

Medical Support
√ 특별재난지역으로 선포된 지역의 이재민은 질병, 부상 및 축산 등에 대하여 「의료급여법」에 따른 의료급여(진찰·검사, 치료 등)를 받을 수 있음. 「의료급여법」 제3조제1항제2호.

· 의연금품의 특별지원 · 농어업인의 영농·영어·시설·운전 자금 및 중소기업의 시설·운전 자금의 우선 융자, 상환 유예·상환 기한 연기 및 그 이자감면과 중소기업에 대한 특례보증 등의 지원 · 그 밖에 재난응급대책의 실시와 재난의 구호 및 복구를 위한 지원