Ministry of the Interior and Safety Signs MOU with 5 Universities Including Kangwon National University and Kongju National University for Earthquake Disaster Prevention Talent Development

255 Participants in Degree Programs Since 2017, 78 Professionals Trained

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 29th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 28th that it will sign a "Business Agreement for Training Experts in the Field of Earthquake Disaster Prevention" with five universities: Kangwon National University, Kongju National University, Kookmin University, Pusan National University, and Yonsei University.

This project supports master's and doctoral degree programs at universities to cultivate talent with comprehensive response capabilities in the field of earthquake disaster prevention. It has been promoted since 2017, and currently, a total of 10 universities are participating.

The projects of the five participating universities from 2019 to 2021 are scheduled to end in August 2021. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety conducted a new public recruitment in June and selected five universities through a review committee composed of internal and external experts. In particular, with Kongju National University, Kookmin University, and Yonsei University newly selected, it is expected that the policy beneficiaries of the project will expand.

The universities that signed the agreement will receive 2 billion KRW in national funding over two years. Starting with the newly selected universities, to strengthen project management, the second-year project funds will be paid differentially based on an annual evaluation after the first-year project ends.

Additionally, a platform will be established for sharing information on best practices among universities regarding student selection, education operation, and textbook development. Overall project management, including operational support and evaluation, will be strengthened. As of June, 255 people have participated in degree programs, securing expertise in earthquake disaster prevention through activities such as fault surveys on the Korean Peninsula, emergency safety inspections, and safety evaluations following the Pohang earthquake.

Park Kwang-soon, Director of the Earthquake Disaster Prevention Policy Division, said, "In a situation where there is a shortage of earthquake experts in our country, we expect that students participating in this project will grow into key talents leading disaster management in the earthquake field."