'Droughts, heat waves, floods are now routine — we need a unified disaster support center'

Interview conducted by Kang Nam-hoon, president of the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang bureau

South Gyeongsang Province endured a brutal string of disasters this summer — an unprecedented drought, a scorching heat wave and then extreme torrential rains. A national fire mobilization order was issued on Aug. 12 in response to the drought emergency, and on Friday Geoje and Tongyeong (Bongpyeong-dong, Sanyang-eup) were designated special disaster zones after being ravaged by floodwaters — two extremes within barely 10 days.

Even Park Wan-su, a seasoned local government expert, was left shaking his head at the severity of the weather anomalies. With residents, officials and military personnel all working to erase the scars left by the extreme downpours, Park sat down briefly with The Herald Business at the governor's office on Friday, pausing from recovery efforts. "I think this kind of thing is becoming routine and will happen every year," he said. "Just as Japan has made earthquake preparedness a permanent state of readiness, we too must make preparedness for disasters such as heat waves and heavy rains a permanent fixture."

Park, who had been visiting Geoje and Tongyeong daily to oversee recovery work, recounted what he witnessed firsthand at the disaster sites and called strongly for a full overhaul of the government's disaster-response framework. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

— Weather anomalies are becoming severe. It seems the entire disaster-response framework needs a full review.

▶ Revitalizing industry and looking after residents' welfare are important, but the most important thing is protecting the lives, property and safety of the people. Emergency-response systems and administrative organizations must focus on exactly that when a disaster strikes. Administrative bodies and organizations need to be expanded, and laws, systems and equipment must change. Even a single pump — small and medium-sized pumps are no longer adequate. Only very large pumps will do. If urban infrastructure was built to handle 50 millimeters of rain per hour, it now needs to handle 120 millimeters per hour. The system must be built not for emergency mobilization but for permanent readiness. That is why South Gyeongsang Province will establish a unified support center that oversees fire, police and administrative response systems. We have already completed a feasibility study and plan to construct a dedicated building where all disasters — droughts, heat waves, flood damage, safety at large public gatherings — can be managed in an integrated way.

— Isn't budget the most critical factor in carrying out recovery work?

▶ Fiscal resources are the most critical factor in everything. But local government finances are now at their limits — as Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae has said. If the largest province in the country is saying that, every local government is in the same boat. In our province, roughly 95 percent of the total budget is determined and handed down by the central government. Less than 5 percent is left for the province to decide how to spend. And even that is being eaten up by things the central government is offloading onto local governments — basic rural income programs, fuel subsidies and the like. As a result, we cannot carry out emergency recovery, let alone maintain rivers and reservoirs against flooding or prepare for landslides. When a disaster hits, the central government sends down 1 billion won ($726,000) or 2 billion won, and recovery costs are supported by the government after the fact — but that system has its limits when it comes to building a proper disaster-response framework. Local governments must be given the budgets they need to handle disaster response themselves. (When asked whether he planned to raise this with the government, Park said he intended to bring it up at the governors' and mayors' conference at the end of this month.)

— What is the biggest challenge you face at drought and flood disaster sites?

▶ As I just said, I think we have moved beyond the stage of preventing these disasters. Weather conditions are such that existing urban systems and disaster-response frameworks have reached their limits. Fiscal and equipment issues matter, but one of the most critical issues is water management. South Korea is already a water-scarce country. So when heavy rain pours down, we need reservoirs and other storage to hold it — that is how we prevent flooding and overcome drought. Take the Nam River, for example: its storage capacity is far too small. When rain falls in Sancheong, the Nam River cannot hold all that water, so it is released downstream, causing flood damage across Sacheon, Jinju, Hapcheon-gun and other areas. But when we tried to hold it back this time by blocking the upper section, a stream called Yangcheon in the Saengbiryang area of Sancheong burst its banks. The solution is to build many more multipurpose dams. The drinking water situation in Busan and South Gyeongsang is also serious. Busan has been asking for water, yet a multipurpose dam on the Gyeongho River — which has been discussed for 10 years — has still not been built. The previous government committed to building 10 multipurpose dams nationwide, including two in South Gyeongsang Province — in Geoje and Uiryeong — but the current government says it will review that plan. Given the terrain and topography of this country, we must build many more multipurpose dams and reservoirs throughout the land to address drought, flooding and drinking water shortages.

— You have met Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo about three times recently. Did you discuss pending issues for Busan and South Gyeongsang, including administrative integration?

▶ We did. I told him my position has not changed from what I discussed with former Mayor Park Heong-joon during the eighth elected term, but Mayor Jeon did not state a clear position. It was not an official setting, of course, and rather than stating a position he simply said we needed to meet first. I suggested meeting at the end of this month, but Mayor Jeon said early September would be better. I also told him: "Our position is clearly defined. But since Busan City's position has not yet emerged, wouldn't it be better to hold some working-level consultations and coordination before we meet?" Mayor Jeon agreed, and working-level consultations are now under way.

— Do you think the two sides can reach a consensus?

▶ The Democratic Party of Korea has been advocating for the Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang Special Union — the so-called mega-city concept. Working-level consultations on that are ongoing. Where there is agreement, we announce it; where there is not, each governor and mayor may have different positions, so we announce those to the public first and then work out how to reconcile them. I have already stated my position on the special union. There is no need to hire hundreds of civil servants and build a new government building to run a wide-area administration. If each of the three cities and provinces sends five officials — 15 in total — that is enough to handle wide-area affairs, and it is far more efficient. A special union without administrative integration is meaningless. When we meet in early September, either we reach agreement on that point, or Mayor Jeon will have to state his position clearly.

— What is the core vision for running the province in the ninth elected term, and what are the key priorities going forward?

▶ The core vision for the ninth term is "A great leap forward for South Gyeongsang, together with its people." Building on the achievements of the eighth term — which reignited the province's growth engine and laid the groundwork for a leap forward — the ninth term will complete a South Gyeongsang where every resident can directly feel real change in their daily lives. To that end, I will establish communication, competence and trust as the three pillars of provincial governance and build a field-centered, communicative administration. In terms of key priorities: first, I will sharpen South Gyeongsang's industrial competitiveness by nurturing existing core industries — aerospace, defense and small modular reactors — alongside future emerging industries including physical AI. Second, I will complete a balanced development structure where growth is spread evenly across all areas, through region-specific industry cultivation and expanded wide-area transport networks. Third, I will significantly strengthen life-cycle tailored welfare — including a South Gyeongsang residents' membership card, welfare points for people in their 40s and 50s, and a youth pension — to build a tight safety net with no blind spots. The ninth term will be a provincial administration that delivers results residents can actually feel in their lives.

— What are the plans for nurturing aerospace, defense, nuclear power and physical AI as part of the transition to future industries?

▶ In aerospace, we will push ahead with speed on developing Sacheon as an aerospace complex city. For defense and nuclear power, we will build a support center for small modular reactor manufacturing components and actively link anchor companies' investment. In particular, to lead in physical AI — which will transform the landscape of manufacturing — we will steadily execute a four-pronged strategy investing 21 trillion won ($15.2 billion) through 2035. We will launch a major national project to develop an autonomous manufacturing foundation model, and centered on Changwon, we will build a robot foundry and AI manufacturing innovation infrastructure to develop it into a concentrated hub for manufacturing AI transformation. In addition, we will activate a public-private-academic cooperation framework centered on the South Gyeongsang Advanced Industry Promotion Task Force, ensuring that large companies' advanced investment directly drives technological innovation and spreads throughout the entire regional industrial ecosystem.

— You are pushing for special legislation on the aerospace complex city and on development of the South Sea coastal zone.

▶ Both special laws are essential national tasks — not just for South Gyeongsang but for securing South Korea's future growth engines and achieving balanced national development. The aerospace complex city special law provides the institutional foundation for building a global hub that integrates research, industry and residential functions around Korea AeroSpace Administration. In particular, developing the aerospace complex city is indispensable for realizing the government's vision of a South Sea aerospace industry belt. The South Sea coastal development special law is the key to easing excessive regulations and developing the region's exceptional natural resources into a global marine leisure and tourism hub. The South Sea coast is a growth hub where marine tourism and strategic industries — shipbuilding, aerospace and defense — are concentrated, but overlapping regulations covering protected forests, national parks and fishery resource protection zones have constrained investment and development. Through the special law, we will achieve rational regulatory reform that reflects regional characteristics and secure planned national-level support, and on that basis we will develop the South Sea coast into South Korea's second growth axis.

— What is South Gyeongsang Province's differentiated strategy regarding the government's second round of public institution relocations?

▶ In response to the government's second round of public institution relocations, South Gyeongsang Province has set the goals of upgrading region-specific industries and creating synergies with institutions relocated in the first round, and is focusing on strategically attracting targeted institutions. To that end, we have developed four detailed development strategies: promoting small and medium-sized enterprises through core industry innovation, building an industrial innovation cluster centered on physical AI, strengthening competitiveness in eco-friendly construction technology, and making a leap toward global cultural tourism. As target institutions to attract, we have carefully selected 40 bodies — including the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Korea Environment Corporation, Industrial Bank of Korea and Korea Racing Authority — and are conducting tailored outreach to each.

— Why should the headquarters of the integrated power generation company be located in South Gyeongsang?

▶ The location of the integrated headquarters for state-owned power companies should be decided not by simple regional rotation but by comprehensively weighing relocation costs, living conditions, energy transition capacity and industrial linkages. On those grounds, South Gyeongsang has ample competitiveness and justification. Relocating to another region would incur new construction costs of more than 250 billion won, whereas South Gyeongsang can make use of the existing Korea South-East Power headquarters building, preventing wasteful spending of national resources. In addition, major power plants in Hadong, Samcheonpo and Goseong are all within a one-hour commute, and leading companies and research institutions — including Doosan Enerbility and the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute — are concentrated here.

— What is South Gyeongsang Province's position on the consolidation and relocation of the Naval Academy?

▶ The Ministry of National Defense's push to consolidate and relocate the Naval Academy inland is a one-size-fits-all approach that runs directly counter to the government's own policies on balanced national development and public institution relocation. The historical significance of Jinhae — which has served as the home port of the Republic of Korea Navy for the past 80 years and has trained the nation's maritime security personnel — the institution's specialized expertise, and the voices of local residents have been entirely ignored. Following the earlier relocations of the Army College and the Naval Operations Command, the government's plan to move the Naval Academy as well has left residents feeling deeply marginalized and deprived. To preserve the Navy's unique educational requirements — ship operations, maritime operations and the like — Jinhae, which concentrates naval bases, maritime operational sites and educational infrastructure, is the optimal location. We will build a joint response framework with the National Assembly, local political and business circles, and civic organizations.

— Is there a message or words of encouragement you would like to share with residents?

▶ During the eighth elected term, South Gyeongsang prepared for a new leap forward, and those achievements received strong praise from residents, who gave us wide support. Now, in the ninth term, building on those achievements, I will ensure that South Gyeongsang stands firmly as the finest local government in South Korea — raising the quality of industry, the economy, culture, welfare and education across the board to set ourselves apart from other regional governments. I ask for the residents' continued unwavering support.

Compiled by Hwang Sang-wook and Park Byeong-guk

■ Park Wan-su: career highlights

Born 1955 in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province

1974: Graduated from Masan Technical High School

1979: Graduated from Kyungnam University, Department of Public Administration; passed the 23rd Higher Civil Service Examination

1994: Appointed county head of Hapcheon-gun, South Gyeongsang Province (government-appointed)

1997: Director of the Economy and Trade Bureau, South Gyeongsang Province

2001: Doctorate in public administration, Kyungnam University

2014: President of Incheon International Airport

2016: Supreme council member, Saenuri Party (now People Power Party)

19th and 20th-term mayor of Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province

Inaugural mayor of the unified Changwon

20th and 21st-term National Assembly member (Changwon Uichang, South Gyeongsang Province)

38th and 39th-term governor of South Gyeongsang Province