Good morning, fellow Koreans,

Floods and landslides have brought many people undue suffering. The news of the tragic deaths of the young students from Inha University was truly frustrating and heartbreaking.

They were out there doing volunteer work and fell victim to the landslide. My prayers go out to all those who have passed away because of the recent torrential rains. I also offer my sympathy and condolences to those who lost loved family members as well as their homes.

Amidst the disastrous situation brought about by the torrential rains, we could find some citizen heroes and heroines, who fulfilled their duties and put the safety of their neighbors before their own.

Among them were Cho Min-su, a young conscripted policeman, who lost his life trying to save a citizen who had been swept away by a rapid current; Cho Yang-hyun, a resident of Jeonwon Village in Bangbae-dong, who sandbagged the alleys and helped prevent a probably worse catastrophe; and Kim Je-young, who waded through a strong current and saved several tenants living in semi-basement rooms.

Moreover, military personnel, policemen, firefighters and many other local civil servants have worked very hard day and night trying to protect the public and restore the damage done by the torrential rains.

Despite the most severe torrential downpours in nearly 100 years, the mature civic consciousness of our people has shined brightly. In just about a week, the number of volunteers who rushed to help reached 180,000.

Kim Mi-kyung, a resident of Jeju Island, even flew to Seoul and visited a disaster-hit area. She said, “I am tied up working on weekdays, but I want to help those who suffered horrible damage even if only on the weekend.” There are also many other people who voluntarily gave up their vacations and rolled up their sleeves to help. 

As I saw for myself at places where repair efforts were underway, our military troops and police officers were working just as hard and earnestly as any other volunteers, going above and beyond.

Volunteers from the Saemaeul women’s association and the Korean Red Cross were already in the know about what was needed and what should be done at the flood-damaged areas, and they were readily getting the work done.

I still vividly remember the images of the volunteers covered in mud and sweat as they cleaned the oil spill that washed ashore in Taean in 2007.

The spirit of volunteerism that was demonstrated then is being observed yet again at the scene of restoration work. Ka Yang-sook, a resident of Taean County said, “When my county was hit by the oil spill in 2007, the volunteer workers provided immense help. Putting everything else aside this time, I rushed here as I fully understand how painful a natural disaster can be.”

Volunteer work is taking root in our society as a component of the social system.

Nowadays, many Koreans are doing volunteer work and taking special care of people in need even in a number of faraway African countries. Many people across the globe are praising their sacrifices and expressing appreciation, which is not an overnight accomplishment. This is a clear reminder of how much our society has matured. I feel my heart swell with pride and joy.

For its part, the Government will first provide assistance for those whose livelihood hangs by a thread and those who do not have a roof over their heads at the moment.

My fellow citizens,

Climate change is now threatening the globe at a faster pace than projected initially.

The abnormal weather pattern that used to come only once in a century has now become routine. Expecting similar abnormal weather next year, it is necessary for us to make preparations in advance.

From urban planning to what kind of trees should be planted where, a comprehensive transformation has to take place. We also have to change our lifestyles in significant ways.

The flood this time brought home to us the fact that the existing disaster prevention system has already reached its limits.

Lord Nicholas Stern, professor at the London School of Economics and an expert on the economics of climate change and development, said that if we fail to properly deal with climate change, it would cost up to 20 percent of the global GDP.

This year over a quarter of the U.S. territory is in the grip of a heat wave and drought. Still, many people in another part of the country suffered a crisis stemming from the flooding of the Mississippi River. The occurrence of abnormal changes in weather is not confined to the United State. It is witnessed all over the world, including Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.

During the first half of this year, it was estimated that the entire world suffered damage totaling about US$265 billion, an equivalent of 280 trillion won. During the past 10 years, our country alone lost about 20 trillion won from sudden rainstorms and other natural disasters.

Since climate change is a global phenomenon, all countries should cooperate to resolve the problem. Korea is proactively doing its part by carrying out green growth strategies. The Government is planning to reduce the estimated business-as-usual emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

It is fortunate that the Government, through the Four Rivers Restoration Project, has been constructing anti-disaster facilities that amount to four times the existing ones, preparing for a rainstorm that might come once in 200 years. Because of this project, many riverside areas were able to avoid the perennial flood damage. The Government will formulate new anti-disaster criteria that fit this age of climate change, while setting up comprehensive and long-range response measures.

To this end, the Prime Minister’s Office has been mandated to work with the private sector to form comprehensive anti-disaster measures encompassing diverse fields. The National Institute for Disaster Prevention will be revamped and expanded in such a way to research disasters and safety more effectively. The institute will be responsible for coming up with preemptive measures against disasters.

The Government’s priorities include comprehensive reexamination of existing disaster-prevention systems and strengthening the safety and disaster prevention standards. As part of this effort, various disaster prevention organizations will be instructed to establish effective cooperative systems among themselves. They will also be asked to come up with various anti-disaster scenarios dealing with climate change. 

In connection with the latest flood damage, the Government will do its best to appropriate necessary funds without delay and to make sure that our country is a safe place to live.

Fellow citizens,

The rains may have let up, but I am afraid inflation has not. It looks as if rises in the prices of staple vegetables like cabbage and radishes are especially bad. To stabilize prices, the Government is currently supplying 60,000 tons of vegetables to the market. If it is not sufficient, further measures will be taken such as increasing imports.

My fellow Koreans,

Once more, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my condolences and comfort to the citizens who lost loved ones and who suffered property damage during the recent rainstorms.

I feel very sorry for the citizens who have not been able to go on vacation because of the flood damage. I am also worried about the slow business at various resorts. I only hope things will become better soon.

Thank you very much.