Gov't expands farm disaster aid, issues additional recovery payments to 323 households

The government is expanding eligibility for agricultural disaster support and will provide additional recovery payments to farms that suffered damage last year.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Sunday that it will disburse supplementary recovery funds to farms affected by disasters occurring after March last year, following a revision to the Disaster and Safety Management Act.

A reinvestigation conducted by local governments last month identified 323 farms across seven disaster cases as newly eligible for support. The additional aid totals 513 million won (about $341,000).

The payments follow the revised law, under which the government broadened eligibility for recovery support from farmers who derive at least 50 percent of their income from agriculture to all farmers, strengthening the state's responsibility for disaster response.

Livelihood subsidies will also increase. Under the previous system, farmers who lost more than 50 percent of their cultivated area received one month of living expense support; they will now be eligible for up to six months. Agricultural corporations have also been newly added to the list of eligible recipients.

The ministry said it will apply the revised regulations retroactively to disasters that occurred after March last year.

The seven disaster categories covered by the additional support include unseasonal cold snaps, hail, heat waves, drought, heavy rain and brown spot disease in rice.

Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong visited Yesan-gun in South Chungcheong Province on Sunday to review the summer disaster response system and inspect the restoration of the Seongni-1 pumping station, which was damaged by heavy rain last year.

Song urged relevant agencies to maintain situation management and damage recovery systems through Oct. 15 — the end of the summer preparedness period — and to step up facility inspections ahead of potential heavy rainfall.

She also called for thorough preparations to ensure that the expanded support under the revised disaster safety law reaches farms without disruption.

"I hope the expansion of recovery payments helps stabilize the livelihoods of farmers who suffered from heavy rain, drought and cold damage," Song said. "We will continue to improve the system and expand support for affected farms to strengthen the state's responsibility for disasters."