Fire in dense Seoul neighborhood destroys at least 60 homes
Seoul (AP): A fire early Friday destroyed at least 60 homes in a neighborhood of densely packed, makeshift housing surrounded by some of the wealthiest streets of South Korea's ultra-modern capital, forcing about 500 residents to flee.
Firefighters extinguished the flames in Seoul's Guryong village within about five hours, and officials said no injuries or deaths had been reported as of Friday afternoon.
Shin Yong-ho, an official at the fire department of Seoul's Gangnam district, said rescue workers were continuing to search areas affected by the fire but that it was believed that all residents have safely evacuated.
More than 800 firefighters, police officers and public workers fought the flames and handled evacuations after the fire began around 6:30 a.m.
Photos showed firefighters fighting the flames under thick, white smoke covering the village as helicopters sprayed water from above. Later orange-suited rescuers searched through the charred landscape where gray tendrils of smoke were still rising. The capital's skyscrapers gleamed a short distance away.
Kim Ah-reum, an official at the Gangnam district office, said around 500 residents evacuated to nearby facilities including a school gym. Officials were planning to move an unspecified number of people whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged to three hotels.
"How could this happen on the Lunar New Year holidays,?" 66-year-old village resident Kim Sung-han told The Associated Press, referring to one of the country's biggest annual holidays that starts on the weekend and continues through Tuesday.
"I had to run out of home only in these clothes," without being able to bring out anything else, Kim said. "I couldn't go to work ... when it's already so hard to live."
Lee Woon-cheol, one of the community leaders at the village, said residents were able to swiftly share the news about the fire through their emergency contacts and that firefighters were going door-to-door searching for people and helping them evacuate.
"This is where a lot of accidents happen because of electrical short circuits," Lee told the YTN news channel. "
Shin said it was presumed that the fire began at one of the village's homes made with plastic sheets and plywood. He said the cause of the fire was being investigated.
The news of the fire alarmed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who while visiting Switzerland for the Davos meetings instructed officials to mobilize all available resources to minimize damage and casualties, his spokesperson Kim Eun-hye said.
The country is still reeling from its worst disaster in almost a decade, after nearly 160 people died in a crowd surge at a Seoul nightlife district in October. Experts blame that deadly crush on poor planning by police and administrative officials, who failed to employ basic crowd control measures despite anticipating huge gatherings of Halloween revelers.
Guryong village, an illegal encampment located near some of Seoul's most expensive real estate marked by towering high-rise apartments and lavish shopping districts, has long been a symbol of South Korea's stark income inequalities.
The hillside village has often been damaged by fire over the years, a vulnerability that has been linked to its tightly packed homes built with materials that easily burn. Eleven houses were destroyed during a previous fire at the village in March last year, and around 100 people were forced to evacuate after parts of the area became flooded by rain last August.
The village, currently home to around 600 people, was formed in the 1980s as a settlement for people who were evicted from their original neighborhoods under the city's massive house clearings and redevelopment projects.
Hundreds of thousands of people were removed from their homes in slums and low-income settlements during those years, a process the country's then-military leaders saw as crucial in beautifying the city for foreign visitors ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
Seoul's city government first announced plans to redevelop the area in 2011 but the efforts have stalled over disagreements between city officials and residents over land compensation and other issues.
WATCH: Firefighters battle a massive fire at Guryong village in Seoul that destroyed at least 60 homes, forcing hundreds to flee https://t.co/gcQ2Me2jMd pic.twitter.com/JCqW8RLnd9
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Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi says 2025 year of proud milestones for India
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said 2025 was a year of proud milestones for India as he highlighted Operation Sindoor, saying it became a symbol of pride for every Indian and showed the world that the country does not compromise on its security.
Addressing his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' address, the last in 2025, Modi said the country's impact was visible everywhere in the outgoing year.
"2025 was a year of proud milestones for India. Whether in national security, sports, scientific innovation or on the world's biggest platforms, India's impact was visible everywhere," he said.
The prime minister said during Operation Sindoor, images of love and devotion toward 'Maa Bharti' (Mother India) emerged from every corner of the nation and people expressed their emotions and gratitude in their own unique ways.
"Operation Sindoor' became a symbol of pride for every Indian. The world witnessed clearly that today's India does not compromise on its security," he said.
India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation.
Modi said the same spirit was witnessed when national song 'Vande Mataram' completed 150 years.
"I had urged you to share your messages and suggestions using the hashtag '#VandeMataram150', and our fellow citizens participated in this campaign with immense enthusiasm," he said.
The prime minister noted that 2025 has truly been a memorable year for sports, with the men's cricket team clinching the ICC Champions Trophy and the women's cricket team winning the World Cup for the first time.
Besides, India's daughters scripted history by winning the Women's Blind T20 World Cup.
The tricolour flew high with pride after a dominant victory in the Asia Cup T20 and para-athletes brought home a haul of medals at the World Championships, he said. Modi also said that India has taken a giant leap in the field of science and space, and Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station.
Today, he said, the world looks toward India with great hope and the biggest reason for this expectation is the country's Youth Power.
"Nations across the globe are deeply impressed by our achievements in science, constant innovations, and the expansion of technology," he said.
The prime minister said the number of cheetahs in India has increased to more than 30 in 2025.
Taking note of various events held during the year, he said in 2025, faith, culture, and India's unique heritage all came together.
"The Prayagraj Mahakumbh organised at the beginning of the year astonished the entire world. At the end of the year, the 'Dhwajarohan' ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya filled every Indian with pride," he said.
Modi said the excitement towards 'swadeshi' was also evident among one and all and people are purchasing only those goods that bear the sweat of an Indian and the fragrance of Indian soil.
"Today, we can proudly say that 2025 has given India even greater confidence. It is also true that this year we had to face natural disasters at very many places. Now, the country is ready to move forward in 2026 with new hopes and new resolutions," he added.
In the 129th edition of Mann Ki Baat, PM Narendra Modi says, "2025 was also a memorable year in terms of sports. Our Men's Cricket team won the ICC Champions' Trophy. The women's cricket team won the World Cup for the first time. The daughters of Bharat created history by winning… pic.twitter.com/iXRGLaPdyK
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2025
