Women of Resilience Respond to Catastrophic Flooding in South Korea
- Kathleen Hwang
- Aug 22
- 7 min read
Upon hearing that heavy rains had ravaged people’s homes and lives in Gapyeong County, Go Eun Kim, president of Women’s Federation for World Peace Korea, did not hesitate. “It was simple: They need help, we have to help,” she said. Within two days, she had raised a small army of women volunteers, bringing material support, solace and comfort to the victims.
Record Rainfall Wreaks Havoc
In mid-July 2025, South Korea faced one of its most devastating natural disasters in recent memory. Torrential rains, beginning on July 16, led to catastrophic flooding and landslides.
The disaster resulted in at least 24 deaths and left numerous individuals missing. Over 15,000 residents were evacuated, and thousands of homes, farms, and infrastructures were severely damaged.
One of two areas most severely impacted was Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, in the northeastern part of the country. It received 322 mm (12.6 in) of rain over five days, including 110 mm (4.3 in) in the early morning of July 20. The area is mountainous and a popular tourist site in summer. Towns and campgrounds located in valleys quickly flooded as rivers overflowed; roads turned to streams or were buried by landslides, and bridges collapsed.
Seven people died, including local residents and campers. More than 4,000 households lost power, and according to the county mayor, about 1,300 were displaced to temporary shelters after their homes were inundated by water and mud.
Gapyeong County Mayor Teaweon Seo immediately activated the emergency response system, sending teams of government employees to each township and district, and deploying heavy equipment, including excavators, dump trucks, and pump trucks. The military was called in to reinforce river embankments and remove debris.
“Military equipment and soldiers played a particularly important role in dangerous areas difficult for civilians to access,” said Mayor Seo, who was onsite daily to personally assess the situation. “The greatest challenge was the inability to restore all sites simultaneously due to the extent of the damage. Resources and equipment were limited, and areas at risk of landslides were difficult to access. Some villages had completely lost roads and bridges, requiring helicopters to deliver relief supplies.”
Seo then escalated the issue to Governor Dong-yeon Kim of Gyeonggi Province, where Gapyeong is situated. Governor Kim was also on the scene on July 20 and made follow-up visits in subsequent days to monitor the situation. He then set up a support headquarters, deployed members of the Civil Service Volunteer Corps, and contacted Minister of the Interior and Safety Ho-jung Yun to request that Gapyeong County be designated as a special disaster area.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety then designated Gapyeong County as one of six special disaster areas, making available disaster relief funds to rebuild both public facilities and individual households.
Expanded funding allowed Gyeonggi Governor Kim to allocate provincial relief funds to small businesses, farming households, and bereaved families.
WFWP’s Flood Relief Cleanup Efforts
While the government and the military worked to stabilize embankments, build temporary bridges, and divert traffic to safe passageways, local residents (many of whom are elderly) were struggling to clear mud from their homes and salvage their lives.
Upon receiving reports of the natural disaster and extensive damage in Gapyeong, the women at the WFWP Korea headquarters immediately convened an emergency meeting.
“People were suffering and in desperate need of support … I felt a deep sense of responsibility, not only to provide material help but to express solidarity and compassion,” said Mrs. Kim, president of WFWP Korea.
WFWP issued a call to action through its regional chapters. Within the first two days, 110 members joined the effort, and over the course of the following two weeks, more than 400 volunteers from 65 WFWP chapters across South Korea took part. Participants included WFWP members and their families (husbands and children), students, and interfaith peace activists.
“Many adjusted their work schedules or took personal leave to join, demonstrating extraordinary solidarity and compassion,” Mrs. Kim said. “Our plan of action centered on two key principles: rapid mobilization and heartfelt service.”
As the Gapyeong County Office was focusing on disaster relief and infrastructure rebuilding, WFWP’s volunteers stepped in to coordinate and assign volunteers to help families, in close communication with the WFWP Gapyeong chapter.
“The scenes we encountered were devastating,” Mrs. Kim said. “Entire homes were buried in mud, elderly residents were stranded without power or communication, and families were overwhelmed by loss—both material and emotional. Beyond the visible destruction, there was a deep sense of helplessness and grief in the community. Our volunteers not only helped clean debris but also offered emotional comfort, often simply by being present and listening.”
Local women’s associations and church networks provided crucial on-the-ground information and helped volunteers identify vulnerable households in need of urgent assistance. “Their cooperation was vital in tailoring our support to the unique needs of each community,” Mrs. Kim said.
Based on this information, WFWP organized teams that helped with removing mud and debris from elderly care facilities, restoring kitchens and community spaces, organizing temporary meal stations, and supporting basic sanitation. Teams worked in shifts to manually clear hallways and dining areas filled with sludge. In farming areas, volunteers cleared fields of stones and branches and helped to plant new crops. Each volunteer group was led by an experienced regional coordinator to ensure order and safety.
The work was physically and emotionally demanding, but the volunteers were committed and persistent. “Although it was a hot day, we cleaned up the flooded houses, organized household items and household appliances, and cleared tree branches and blocked drains,” said Mrs. Chiho Shinohara, chairwoman of the WFWP Gangwon Branch, which sent 21 volunteers. “It was particularly meaningful because the volunteers included young people and students on vacation.”
WFWP chapters also collected donations from their membership, which were used to provide food and household necessities to those in need.
“We were met with deep gratitude and heartfelt emotion,” said Mrs. Kim. “Some residents, overwhelmed by the sudden loss of family members and neighbors, tearfully expressed, ‘In the midst of such devastation, we didn’t know where to begin, but you came and extended a helping hand, and for that, we are truly thankful.’”
Long-term Impacts
One month after the disaster, many residents are still struggling to rebuild their lives. “The biggest problem is housing,” said Mayor Seo.
“Those whose homes were completely destroyed need long-term replacement housing. While water, electricity, and communication services have been restored for most households through emergency repairs, many [others] have lost all basic necessities. Many residents have lost their livelihoods, with household items and farm machinery gone,” he said.
Full restoration of the area’s infrastructure will take two to three years, the mayor said. “In agriculture, damage to greenhouses, storage facilities and crops disrupted harvesting and shipping. In tourism, major hiking trails and campsites suffered damage, leading to numerous cancellations,” he said. “The local economy inevitably suffered.”
Beyond restoration, government leaders aim to prevent recurrence by improving structural safety, including river restoration, drainage expansion, and embankment reinforcement.
Insights for Future Response
Through this experience, “we reaffirmed that the speed of the initial response determines the extent of damage,” said Mayor Seo. It is important to be prepared with sufficient equipment and personnel, he said, including cooperation with village-level organizations to enhance initial response capabilities. Also, evacuation training for residents is necessary.
As for WFWP, Mrs. Kim said, “We gained three key insights from this experience: the necessity of advance preparedness systems, the importance of strong local partnerships, and the central role of emotional care in disaster response. As natural disasters become more frequent in our time, we plan to establish regional, women-led emergency response networks throughout the country. These networks will be supported by ongoing training in crisis psychology and rapid-response coordination to enhance our organizational resilience and preparedness.”
Emotional support is an often-overlooked element of disaster response that NGOs like WFWP are in a unique position to provide. As Mayor Seo said, “It gave the affected residents a sense of psychological comfort, a sense that they were not alone. While material support was important, the sweat and tears shared on the ground, offering comfort, bolstered the residents' will to recover.”
The women volunteers of WFWP have made a long-term commitment to the people of Gapyeong Country, and they plan to continue their support until the victims’ lives return to normal. Working there has been a very meaningful experience for many of them, Mrs. Kim said.
“Initially, the magnitude of the damage felt overwhelming. But as days passed, we witnessed tangible change—not just in the physical environment but in the emotional atmosphere. Homes became livable again. Smiles slowly returned. Neighbors began helping neighbors. It reminded us that small, sincere actions can ignite profound transformation.”
This is the essence of WFWP’s mission, Mrs. Kim explained. “Volunteerism is not simply a choice for us—it is at the very heart of who we are. This was a moment when we put into action the words of our founding mother, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, who has continually emphasized: ‘Embrace, serve, and heal humanity with the heart of a mother.’ This is the founding spirit of the Women’s Federation for World Peace, and the beginning of the true, sustainable peace we strive to cultivate and bear witness to.”
*Kathleen Hwang is a writer and editor living in South Korea. She formerly worked as a reporter for The Washington Times, correspondent for United Press International, and editor for Asia Literary Review.
The author interviewed Gapyeong County Governor Teaweon Seo and WFWP Korea President Go Eun Kim, and their responses were translated into English.
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