DESIGNATION OF ‘SPECIAL DISASTER ZONES’

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in has declared Daegu and some parts of the nearby Gyeongsangbuk-do Province as special disaster zones. This is the first time a special disaster zone was declared not because of a natural disaster, but because of an infectious disease.

[Pkg]

Daegu, towns of Cheongdo, Gyeongsan, andBonghwa in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province... these are where 83% of confirmed cases and 87% of deaths are clustered. President Moon Jae-in has declared these areas special disaster zones. This is the first time that special disaster zones were declared not because of a natural disaster, but because of an infectious disease.

[Soundbite] CHUNG SYE-KYUN(PRIME MINISTER) : "This decision demonstrates the government's resolve to overcome Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province's crisis as quickly as possible from the national level."

Previously, the government had designated Daegu and Cheongdo in Gyeongsangbuk-doProvince as "infectious disease special management zones" to provide additional support. Now the government has added more areas and declared them as special disaster zones. Now the central government will subsidize half of the affected regions' recovery costs and residents will be eligible for living expense subsidies and exemptions in their electricity and health insurance bills. The assistance was not deemed that effective, because most of the subsidies were already being provided. But the central government accepted the local government bodies' requests. The government said that more areas may be designated special disaster zones, but made clear that cash assistance demanded by some is not an option. In a phone interview with KBS, a government source said that, instead of direct cash assistance, alternatives, such as gift certificates that the needy can use right away, is being discussed. The government plans to provide stronger support for the financial market that has been wildly fluctuating ever since the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.