SEOUL -- Strong winds are driving wildfires in southeastern South Korea, fueling what the country's acting president is calling the most damaging blazes in the country's history.
Han Duck-soo said Wednesday that 18 people, including four firefighters, have died in the fires and 23,000 people were evacuated from their homes. He added that 244 wildfires have occurred in South Korea this year, 2.4 times more than by the same time last year. Also, 17,000 hectares of woodland and 209 locations, such as homes and factories, have been destroyed.
