Seoul: The government has officially designated areas in North Gyeongsang Province that were devastated by massive wildfires in March as special regeneration zones, aiming to facilitate their recovery and revitalization, as announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the designation was approved after deliberation by the Urban Regeneration Special Committee. The designated areas include Seok-ri and Nomul-ri in Yeongdeok County, as well as Bugok-ri in Cheongsong County. These zones will benefit from state-funded urban regeneration projects that focus on providing support for damaged homes and agricultural facilities, along with restoring villages and public infrastructure.

The government's policy allows for direct designation of regions that have incurred damages exceeding 10 billion won (US$7.27 million) as special regeneration zones, thereby qualifying them for national funding to support urban regeneration efforts. This initiative is only the second of its kind, with the first being the designation of earthquake-affected areas in Pohang in November 2018. Each municipality involved in these projects is set to receive 4 billion won from a supplementary budget allocated earlier this year for the initial year of redevelopment efforts.