South Korea has reduced by 96% the number of people killed in floods caused by torrential summer rains compared with the previous year. This was announced by President Lee Jae-myung, who thanked state officials for the preventive measures they had taken, the South Korean publication Jeonbuk Domin Ilbo reported.
In a Facebook post on November 6, the head of state said that the number of victims had fallen from 25 last year to one in 2026. Material damage was also significantly reduced, declining by 89.3% – from 1.1307 trillion won to 120.9 billion won.
According to the president, early warning and more effective water resource management played a key role in the improved results.
South Korean authorities have improved an artificial intelligence-based flood forecasting system, which supports advance risk assessment and the implementation of protective measures.
At the same time, existing facilities, including agricultural reservoirs and dams used for electricity generation, were employed to provide an additional water retention capacity of 1.04 billion tons.
The president noted that, thanks to the measures taken, no deaths caused specifically by river disasters had been recorded for the first time in ten years.
Lee Jae-myung stressed that preventing disasters is more important than removing the damage afterward. He assured that the government would continue to support institutions’ efforts to reduce risks and protect the population.
The reported results demonstrate the importance South Korean authorities attach to combining digital technologies, existing infrastructure and preventive management in protecting against natural disasters.