Opening of the New Chemical Safety Agency Building... "Establishing a Safety Net Without Blind Spots"

New building exterior of the Chemical Safety Agency.

[Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Chemical Safety Agency under the Ministry of Environment held an opening ceremony on the afternoon of the 22nd at its new office located in the Osong Bio Science Complex, Cheongju, Chungbuk.

The Chemical Safety Agency was established in 2014 following the hydrofluoric acid accident in Gumi in September 2012, to prevent recurring chemical accidents and terrorism in advance and to respond systematically. Since then, from 2016, a total budget of 42.1 billion KRW was invested over five years, and construction was completed last November, relocating the office to Osong, Cheongju.

The new office site covers an area of 36,096㎡ and includes a chemical accident response training center (8,557㎡). It consists of three buildings (total area 12,286㎡): an experimental research building, an administration and education building, and a dormitory.

At the opening ceremony, Han Jeong-ae, Minister of Environment, said, "I ask the Chemical Safety Agency to take the lead in establishing a management system for accident prevention on both policy and industrial sites," and added, "I hope that chemical safety education will be provided to various stakeholders such as local residents and students, so that safety awareness can take root throughout society."

With the opening of the new office, the Chemical Safety Agency plans to build a more comprehensive chemical safety network without blind spots by providing safety management technical support to vulnerable companies, chemical safety education for foreign workers and local communities, and expanding the openness and sharing of chemical safety information.

First, to strengthen the chemical accident prevention and early response system, the agency will promote the installation of a 'remote monitoring system for chemical substance leakage and spills' using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) targeting aging industrial complexes. Starting with a pilot installation at one aging industrial complex, this system will expand to 15 industrial complexes nationwide by 2025, serving as a hub for real-time monitoring information verification and analysis, and providing necessary information for on-site response.

Additionally, the Chemical Safety Agency will focus its capabilities on supporting the implementation of the chemical accident prevention management plan system, which will be enforced from April this year, and on establishing installation and management standards for handling facilities considering industry and process characteristics, thereby ensuring both on-site safety and the compliance capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises. The agency also plans to expand chemical safety education services, including experiential education and training using an outdoor training ground replicating chemical handling equipment, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) training facilities, native language safety education services for foreign workers, and experiential education programs for local children.

Jo Eun-hee, Director of the Chemical Safety Agency, said, "With the opening of the new office, we will strive to communicate more closely with the industry and local communities, spreading a safety culture so that everyone can enjoy a comfortable daily life without worries about chemical accidents."