Why Is Gangnam District Mayor Joseongmyeong Returning to the Flood Damage Site?

[Seoul District News] On the 100th Day of the 8th Elected Term, Gangnam-gu Mayor Joseongmyeong Conducts Final On-Site Inspection Ahead of Samsung Haemaji Park Completion, Transforming Baesuji into a Hangang View Spot, Reaffirming Vision & Revisits Tancheon and Guryong Village 50 Days After Flood to Check Restoration Status

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] On the 7th, Seongmyeong Jo, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, visited Samsung Haemaji Park, where finishing construction is underway, to conduct an on-site inspection to ensure there are no inconveniences for residents as he marks 100 days since the start of the 8th term of the elected administration.

He also plans to revisit two flood damage sites, Tancheon and Guryong Village, focusing more on the fact that about 50 days have passed since the flood rather than the 100 days since his inauguration, to check the restoration status.

First, he will visit Samsung Haemaji Park, scheduled for completion on the 15th, to solidify the vision of the “Green Smart City,” the blueprint of the 8th elected administration. The aboveground space of Samsung-Bongeun water reservoir at 82 Samsung-dong will be transformed into a park for residents to use by changing the urban planning facility and investing 1.2 billion KRW in the project, to be unveiled on the 15th of this month. The abandoned vacant land will be turned into a landmark where visitors can enjoy an open view of the Han River, and it is expected that many district residents will visit in the future. Mayor Jo plans to conduct a final inspection of the construction status, including the observation deck, grass plaza, and walking paths.

Afterwards, he will visit the restoration site under Daewanggyo Bridge in Segok-dong along Tancheon. During the recent heavy rain, the flood protection embankment (a structure constructed on the slope or base of a riverbank or embankment to protect against erosion caused by flowing water) was washed away, and the railing of Sewol 4 Bridge collapsed. He plans to check the current restoration status.

He will then revisit the Guryong Village site, which suffered significant damage. During the heavy rain, about 200 square meters of the slope at 149 San, Gaepo-dong collapsed, and approximately 150 meters of the road and drainage around 118-63 Gaepo-dong were damaged. Currently, rockfall prevention nets, retaining walls, and drainage installations are underway on the collapsed slope, and stone masonry for the damaged drainage is being reinstalled.

Gangnam-gu experienced 2,239 cases of flood damage, including 2,053 cases involving houses and commercial establishments, 186 cases involving public facilities such as roads and rivers, and 106 flood victims. The first round of disaster relief funds for flooded houses and small business owners has been completed, and additional support is under review.

To prepare for future heavy rains, the district will carry out new sewer culvert construction in two low-lying areas that suffered severe flooding (around Yeoksam Elementary School and Nonhyeon Elementary School), to be completed in the second half of 2023. After the construction, drainage capacity will increase, reducing flood depths near Yeoksam Elementary School from 0.7m to 0.37m, and near Nonhyeon Elementary School from 0.83m to 0.42m. Additionally, to prevent manhole falls, protective nets will be installed at 300 locations including Gangnam Station and Daechi Station by the end of October. Sewer pipeline CCTV inspections, dredging, and connection improvements will be promoted to block road sinkholes on main roads (Gangnam-daero, Nambu Sunhwan-ro, Samsung-ro, etc.) and side streets (Nonhyeon 1-dong, near Yeoksam Elementary School).

Mayor Seongmyeong Jo of Gangnam-gu said, “Shortly after my inauguration, heavy rains occurred, and I want to keep in my heart the time when I worked on restoration at the flood sites, so I visited the sites again.” He added, “Through this on-site inspection, I will thoroughly check whether there are any shortcomings in the restoration status and future measures.” He also said, “Gangnam-gu is where I have lived for the past 50 years and where my family and I will continue to live. I will dedicate myself to the 8th elected administration with a sincere heart to make Gangnam-gu a better place to live.”