Anchor: On day five of efforts to combat wildfires in the country’s southeastern Gyeongsang region, the tentative death toll on Wednesday climbed to 24. Calling the latest wildfires the worst ever in the nation’s history, acting President Han Duck-soo addressed the public, pledging all-out efforts to contain the fires and prevent any more blazes.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: With wildfires blazing in the southeastern region of Gyeongsang, the tentative death toll as of Wednesday afternoon stands at 24 dead and 26 injured, with at least 27-thousand people forced to evacuate their homes. 

In an address to the nation on Wednesday, acting President Han Duck-soo said that while the government has mobilized all available personnel and equipment to put out what he called the worst fires in the nation’s history, the situation remains critical.

Han said the massive wildfires that simultaneously broke out on Friday in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, and Ulju, Ulsan, have since spread to Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok.

Saying the damage has reached unprecedented levels, the acting president called for all-out efforts to prevent further wildfires in light of a potential shortage of firefighting resources.

He said after the fires are extinguished, the government will review its wildfire response and prevention measures.

At a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters prior to the public address, Han ordered state agencies to prepare for a worst-case scenario and respond accordingly, as the fires are unfolding in a way that defies existing prediction models.

Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.