Prime minister to visit wildfire site in eastern province

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Friday plans to visit the scene of a devastating fire that broke out in the northeastern border town of Goseong a day earlier after holding an emergency meeting to cope with the disaster, his office said.

Lee began to preside over a meeting with relevant ministers at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the latest developments and discuss ways to provide support to residents, it added.

After the meeting, he will travel to the border town to check the scene.

On Thursday night, a fire broke out on a roadside in Goseong, around 210 kilometers northeast of Seoul, and spread to a nearby mountain. The flames have left one person dead and injured at least 11 people.

The fire quickly spread throughout the region, including Sokcho, a nearby city of Goseong, fanned by strong winds.

Last night, Lee issued an emergency order to government agencies to seek to contain the fire and called for efforts to evacuate residents. (Yonhap)