Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada

Korea Sending Firefighters to Blaze-hit Canada   

The Government of the Republic of Korea has decided to send an emergency firefighters team to Canada to help battle the raging wildfires across the country.

The decision to dispatch the 151-member Korea Disaster Relief Team was made on June 29 at a public-private consultative meeting on overseas emergency relief. The meeting was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin with representatives participating from the Korea Forest Service, the National Fire Agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency as well as members of private relief organizations and medical experts.

The Korea Disaster Relief Team will be on a 30-day mission to help put out forest fires in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, an area that has experienced one of the worst blazes in Quebec since the onset of this year’s wildfire season.

Minister Park noted with appreciation Korea's special relationship with Canada, as the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year as comprehensive strategic partners that share important values such as free democracy and market democracy. He expects the planned dispatch of the firefighters will push the bilateral relationship to take a leap forward, beyond their cooperation in wildfire control.

Korea’s dispatch of the Disaster Relief Team marks the second of its kind in 2023 following its relief operation in earthquake-hit Turkey in February. Korea will continue its efforts to provide international relief mission as a global pivotal state promoting freedom, peace and prosperity across the world.