Korea reviewing whether to declare blaze-hit areas as special disaster

South Korea is reviewing whether to designate eastern areas engulfed by a recent blaze as a special disaster zone to provide state support for damage recovery, the prime minister said Saturday.

The government declared a state of national disaster Friday over the blaze in the border town of Goseong and its neighboring cities as the country is grappling to cope with the worst wildfire on its soil in years.

"There is a declaration of a special disaster zone as an institutional scheme to help us provide support smoothly (to the affected areas and their residents). (I) will propose the idea to the president after making a conclusion on whether to do so," Prime Minister Lee Nakyon said.

He presided over a meeting of relevant ministers to discuss ways to draw up follow-up measures.

Lee said the operation that mobilized the largest number of firefighters and equipment ever helped contain the devastating blaze in one day.

"Considering the size of the wildfire and its force, the blaze was swiftly contained, but it left massive damage and scars," Lee said.

The fire started in the mountainous county of Goseong, about 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on Thursday night and fast spread into the neighboring Sokcho, Gangneung and Donghae cities within hours.

The blaze left one man dead and injured 11 others. Ten of them returned home later after treatment, leaving one injured.

Nearly 4,000 residents were evacuated into make-shift shelters, of whom some 3,700 people returned home later, the government said.