President Lee Jae-myung stated that unprecedented extreme heat is severely threatening the lives of citizens, declaring that the country is currently facing a national climate disaster situation.

Presiding over a meeting of senior secretaries and advisors at the presidential office today (the 6th), President Lee made the remarks, saying, "The worst heatwave in history is blanketing the entire nation. Day before yesterday, following the southern regions, a severe heatwave warning was issued for the greater Seoul area for the first time, and this unprecedented heat is posing a major threat to the lives of our people."

He emphasized, "With a higher sense of urgency than ever before, we must maximize the level, scope, and speed of our policy responses," adding, "Our top priority is to protect the lives and safety of the people."

President Lee urged, "All disasters always pose a greater threat to citizens in difficult circumstances," and called for "maximizing available administrative capabilities to focus on the safety of residents living in vulnerable facilities such as gosiwon, jjokbangchon (io-cost boarding rooms), and vinyl greenhouses, as well as laborers working at construction sites and agricultural or fishing areas."

While acknowledging the hard work of frontline public officials working amidst the heatwave, President Lee said, "It is difficult, but I ask you to directly inspect the sites for the citizens in more difficult situations and promptly implement necessary measures."

He also added, "Fundamentally, we must join forces to improve infrastructure such as housing, water supply facilities, power grids, and heatwave response facilities to match the climate disaster situation that has become the 'new normal'."

Citing the lack of cooling facilities in traditional markets as an example, President Lee instructed officials to consider reflecting related facility construction in next year's budget proposal.

He demanded, "We must not let a citizen's life or death depend on where they live or where they work," and urged officials to concentrate all efforts on responding to the heatwave disaster.

Earlier this morning, President Lee presided over an inspection meeting on heatwave and drought response situations at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in the Government Complex Seoul.

(Photo: Provided by Presidential Photo Press Corps, Yonhap News)