Authorities in South Korea have reported that 18 individuals have died due to a series of unprecedented wildfires that have wreaked havoc in the southeastern part of the country.

Thousands of firefighters have been engaged in efforts to bring the wildfires under control for five consecutive days.

According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Security, six individuals have sustained serious injuries, while an additional 13 have received minor injuries as a result of the fires.

The acting president, Han Duck-soo, characterized the damage caused by the wildfires as 'unprecedented,' noting that the flames have spread beyond existing predictive models and previous forecasts.

He stated that the wildfires, which are currently affecting regions such as Ulsan and Gyeongsang, have exceeded expectations in terms of damage.

In light of the ongoing crisis, the interim president declared that the government has initiated a 'comprehensive national response' to tackle the disastrous situation, subsequently raising the emergency status to the highest level.