Interior ministry joins nationwide wildfire drill ahead of autumn season

South Korea's interior ministry joined a nationwide wildfire response drill in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, on Friday, as the government reviewed its cross-agency readiness before the autumn wildfire watch period opens on Nov. 1.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook attended the 2026 READY Korea integrated wildfire drill and checked the government's disaster response capability, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. The exercise assumed a large-scale wildfire causing heavy casualties and property damage, with the fire spreading toward a golf course, homes, a hospital and a school, so that firefighting, resident evacuation and support for victims could be tested together.

The scenario began with a fire thought to have been started by a hiker, spreading quickly on strong northwesterly winds under a dry-weather advisory. Reports through the 119 emergency line relayed the situation to the central forest disaster situation room and other agencies, and initial response teams from the Korea Forest Service, North Gyeongsang Province and Chilgok County moved in alongside fire and police first responders.

The interior ministry held a situation assessment meeting and dispatched a situation control official to the site. Chilgok County sent emergency safety messages and prepared to activate its regional disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters, moving to evacuate residents and users of hospitals and schools in the fire's path before the flames arrived.

The interior ministry activated the central disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters, while the Korea Forest Service set up a central accident response headquarters. Helicopters and ground crews from the forest service, the defense ministry, the fire agency and North Gyeongsang Province dropped water and retardant and built firebreaks, with the military committing 11 helicopters including four CH-47 heavy-lift aircraft.

Firefighters ran an emergency rescue control unit for rescues and the protection of homes and key facilities, police controlled the scene and supported evacuations, and the Chilgok health center set up an on-site emergency medical station to triage patients and move them to hospitals. When high winds and sunset limited nighttime helicopter operations, night reconnaissance of the fire line was linked with ground crews to limit gaps in containment, and after the main fire was extinguished nearby units were brought in for mop-up, monitoring, cause investigation and the restoration of power and communications facilities.

Chilgok County operated an integrated disaster site support headquarters and an on-site support center for victims, while the Korean Red Cross and volunteer groups provided temporary shelter, meals, daily necessities and disaster psychological recovery support.

Wrapping up the drill, Han thanked officials, saying the spring wildfire watch period had passed without major damage because of their dedication, and asked them to prepare thoroughly for the autumn period about to begin. "The most important thing in responding to a wildfire is human life," she said, stressing that protecting people's lives and the safety of firefighters must come first. She also urged the public not to use any ignition sources near forests and to report any wildfire immediately.