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Entire village set to relocate after landslide destroys 24 homes

Published: 29 Jul. 2025, 16:52

A view of Sangneung Village in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, where the ground has collapsed. A landslide triggered by torrential rains on July 19 caused severe subsidence, burying homes and roads under mud and debris. [SANCHEONG COUNTY]

SANCHEONG COUNTY, South Gyeongsang — Sangneung Village no longer exists on a map, or at least not where it used to.

After a deluge-triggered landslide on July 19 swallowed homes and split the earth open, the village in Saengbiryang-myeon, Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, is now uninhabitable.

The South Gyeongsang provincial government and Sancheong County government announced Tuesday that they will relocate the entire village to a safer area. At an elevation of 300 meters (984 feet), Sangneung Village suffered catastrophic damage, with 26 structures — 24 homes and two memorial shrines — mostly destroyed by the landslide. Even its access has been cut off due to a collapsed road, and the risk of further ground collapse remains high.

The county said it is preparing an alternate site for the village and plans to construct a new residential community for the displaced residents. Given the scale of the damage and continued subsidence, officials believe restoring the current village is unfeasible.

The exact scale of the subsidence is still under investigation, but part of the access road has already collapsed, and some homes were swept away by mud and debris. Cracks have appeared in homes due to the uneven settling of the land.

The village, located along the slope of a mountain ridge, took the full brunt of the landslide, Sancheong County officials said. With concerns of additional landslides, even clearing the accumulated earth and debris has proved difficult. Entry into the village is currently prohibited.

“It’s impossible to live here,” said Kim Kwang-yeon, 57, the village chief, in a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. “The houses are either destroyed or leaning with cracks everywhere. Clearing the debris below could be dangerous — it might trigger another landslide from above. And the ground is still sinking. The village has lost its function.”

Debris blocks the access road to Sangneung Village in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, on July 20, following a landslide triggered by heavy rains the previous day. [NEWS1]

Thirteen households, comprising 16 residents, live in Sangneung Village. The remaining homes are either vacant or used as weekend retreats. Most residents are in their 70s or 80s. Although some were temporarily stranded during the landslide, no casualties were reported. They initially took shelter in a nearby elementary school and are now staying in motels and other temporary accommodations.

“Most of our elders were born and raised in this village. They’re heartbroken to leave their hometown,” Kim said. “They just want to live somewhere where they can still see their village from a distance.”

Authorities are requesting support from the central government to fund the relocation, including land acquisition and housing construction.

“We will do everything necessary to ensure the safe relocation of Sangneung Village residents,” said Sancheong County Gov. Lee Seung-hwa.

Forced mass relocations due to natural disasters are rare in Korea. The last such case in South Gyeongsang occurred 22 years ago, when Wahyeon Village in Irun-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang, was relocated after being severely damaged by Typhoon Maemi in 2003. At the time, 73 households — about 130 people — were forced to move.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY AN DAE-HUN [[email protected]]