Officials review agricultural disaster response measures at an emergency preparedness meeting held Friday at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' agricultural disaster response center ahead of the Constitution Day holiday weekend. [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
Officials review agricultural disaster response measures at an emergency preparedness meeting held Friday at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' agricultural disaster response center ahead of the Constitution Day holiday weekend. [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]

With forecasts calling for up to 300 millimeters or more of heavy rain across the country this weekend, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has launched an emergency response to minimize damage to the agricultural sector. The ministry is conducting urgent inspections of disaster-prone facilities — including reservoirs, pumping stations, greenhouse complexes and livestock facilities — and has activated a 24-hour situation management system.

The ministry held an emergency preparedness meeting Friday at its agricultural disaster response center, chaired by Kang Dong-yun, director general for rural income and energy policy, with representatives from nine provincial governments, the Korea Forest Service, the Rural Development Administration, the Korea Rural Community Corporation and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in attendance.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that rainfall through Sunday would reach 100 to 200 millimeters in the Greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province, with some areas receiving more than 300 millimeters. The Chungcheong region is expected to receive 80 to 150 millimeters, with some areas seeing more than 250 millimeters. The Gyeongsang region is forecast to receive 50 to 100 millimeters, while the Jeolla region is expected to see 30 to 80 millimeters.

At the meeting, officials focused their inspections on reservoir cracks and leaks, the operational status of pumping stations, windbreak nets and drainage channels at greenhouse facilities, drainage infrastructure around livestock facilities, and areas at risk of landslides.

Recent rainfall has already weakened the ground, so the ministry said it would concentrate efforts on preventing casualties — establishing emergency contact networks for farms near mountainous areas and providing advance guidance on evacuation sites.

The ministry plans to maintain a coordinated response with local governments, the Korea Forest Service, the Rural Development Administration, the Korea Rural Community Corporation and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation through its disaster response center, sustaining 24-hour situation management. Should damage occur, the ministry said it would move quickly to conduct assessments and provide recovery support.

"We will focus all our efforts on preventive activities in disaster-vulnerable areas to reduce damage from heavy rain," Kang said. "If damage does occur, we will help farmers resume their operations through swift recovery support."


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