Acting President Choi Sang-mok declares Muan County special disaster zone

[Anchor]

Acting President Choi Sang-mok immediately activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and visited the disaster site.

The government has declared Muan County a special disaster area and designated a week, until January 4, as a national mourning period.

Kim Cheong-yun reports.

[Report]

Today (Dec. 29), Acting President Choi Sang-mok presided over three meetings of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in one day.

He expressed condolences for the victims of the disaster, urging all equipment and personnel to be mobilized for rescue efforts.

[Choi Sang-mok/Acting President: "As the acting head of government responsible for the safety and lives of the people, I feel an indescribable sorrow and regret."]

He emphasized that Muan County has been declared a special disaster area and that all necessary support, including assistance for bereaved families, will be provided.

He also announced that the week until January 4 would be designated as a national mourning period and that joint memorial altars would be set up nationwide.

[Choi Sang-mok/Acting President: "We have decided to install joint memorial altars at the Muan Airport site and in 17 cities and provinces including Jeonnam, Gwangju, Seoul, and Sejong to express condolences and mourning for the victims."]

At the disaster site, acting President Choi bowed his head in response to the families of the passengers who demanded real-time updates on the situation.

[Choi Sang-mok/Acting President: "(Please have someone that knows come to the 3rd floor.) I will do that. I will take some measures."]

Related ministries also moved quickly.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance activated a support task force for the accident and will assist acting President Choi in sharing information among ministries and implementing follow-up procedures such as budget allocation.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the main relevant ministry, has established an accident recovery headquarters at the site to investigate the cause of the accident and support bereaved families.

Korea Railroad Corporation has decided to operate special temporary KTX trains for the families of the passengers and other related parties.

Families of the passengers can use the high-speed train between Mokpo Station and Naju Station for free for two days.

KBS News, Kim Cheong-yun.