- A Large Wildfire Broke Out in Goseong and Sokcho
- 2019-04-30
On April 4, 2019, a large fire broke out in the regions of Goseong and Sokcho. According to a report issued by Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters of the Ministry of Public Administration and Safety, the fire burned its way through a landmass that is two times larger than Yeoui-do, setting ablaze 510 houses, 148 public facilities, and 71 house animal sheds, and leaving more than 1,000 people homeless. It was recorded as having inflicted some of the worst damage caused by a natural disaster in the modern history of Korea.
The government declared ‘a state of disaster’ and made appeals for emergency aid and support to restore damaged areas and help those fleeing the fire.
The fire spread over from Wonam-ri of Toseong-myeon to Ineung-ri and passed by Daesoon Jinrihoe’s Geumgangsan Toseong Training Temple Complex burning its gymnasium, storage, and animal shed.
According to personnel at the Temple Complex, they were able to secure fire defense lines ahead of time as they had 16 outdoor hydrants installed outside the temple. They were able to protect the temple from further damage by releasing hydrant water before fire reached the temple. The estimated damage caused by the fire to Geumgangsan Toseong Training Temple Complex is around half a billion won.
