Interior ministry joins flood recovery drive in Geoje

The interior ministry said Tuesday that more than 100 people joined an Aug. 25 flood-recovery effort with private groups and Saemaul Geumgo around Jangpyeong Elementary School in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province.

Volunteers cleared mud and washed household furnishings. Heavy rain from Aug. 15 through 17 caused severe flood damage in Geoje, including flooding of homes and roads.

Participants included more than 30 ministry employees, staff from Geoje City Hall and the Geoje Volunteer Center, about 10 volunteers from member groups of the Korea Council on Volunteering, and 65 members of the Saemaul Undong Central Association, the Barun Saenghwal Movement and the Korea Freedom Federation.

Saemaul Geumgo donated 6,000 bottles of drinking water for residents in areas without water service.

"We hope that this flood-recovery volunteer effort, in which the public and private sectors joined forces, will help residents in the affected area return to their daily lives as soon as possible," Lee Bang-moo, director general for social solidarity at the interior ministry, said.

Lee said 2026 was designated by the United Nations as the Year of Volunteers and marks the first full revision of the Framework Act on Volunteer Service in 21 years. "We hope a culture of volunteering will spread throughout society, including in flood-hit areas and other places where help is needed," he said.