Mr. Suh Seung-jin, the Chief of Korea Forest Service, expecting high forest fire risks during the Lunar New Year Holidays, adviced emergency shifts to the local governments and regional forest services.


Although the forest fire occurence is lower than the average due to higher precipitation, long holidays this year will increase the number of visitors to mountains. Therefore the authorities are not disregarding the possible risks.


The Korea Forest Service will go into emergency shifts, set up first response teams and station guards to oversee the forest users.


The Korea Forest Service strongly adviced the public to not bring lighter or other inflammables into the mountains and perform traditional burning rites in designated sites only. It further called on the public to report any illegal burning of farms.