Ministry of the Interior and Safety Announces Evaluation Results of Disaster Response Safe Korea Drill

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the evaluation results of the '2022 Disaster Response Safe Korea Training,' conducted from November 14 to November 25 last year, led by 300 training institutions including central government ministries, public institutions, and local governments, on the 19th.

The '2022 Disaster Response Safe Korea Training' resumed normally after being scaled down and simplified due to COVID-19 for two years. To overcome the training gap, a total of 1,516 sessions were conducted during the training period, focusing on strengthening practical response capabilities through unannounced drills, high-difficulty training messages, and the use of department mission cards.

The training evaluation was conducted through preliminary evaluation, on-site evaluation, post-evaluation, and deliberation by the Central Evaluation Committee consisting of 182 private experts in disaster safety from the National Disaster Preparedness Training.

The evaluation results were determined by grade: 101 institutions rated 'Excellent,' 183 'Average,' and 25 'Insufficient.' The main points are as follows. Institutions rated 'Excellent' commonly demonstrated outstanding training planning and design by appropriately reflecting relevant guidelines (manuals) in the training scenarios. The training participants, including the heads of institutions, clearly understood their missions and roles, and collaboration with related organizations was well executed during the process.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Institutions rated 'Insufficient' generally showed low interest from the heads of institutions and assigned staff with little experience in disaster fields as persons in charge, indicating overall insufficient support for the Safe Korea Training. They also received low scores in the utilization of unannounced drills, situation messages, and disaster safety communication networks, which were key focus areas of this training.

Based on this evaluation, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to encourage excellent institutions and individuals by awarding government honors and commendations. Additionally, institutions rated insufficient will be required to make improvements when establishing training plans, and special education and private expert consultations (consulting) will be actively supported to enhance disaster preparedness levels.

Kim Chan-oh, head of the Central Evaluation Committee for Disaster Preparedness Training, stated, “This training normalized drills that were suspended due to COVID-19, allowing disaster management responsibility institutions to re-examine their missions and roles for disaster response and identify areas for improvement and development.” He added, “Going forward, through national disaster preparedness training including Safe Korea Training, we will thoroughly inspect and evaluate each institution’s disaster response capabilities and cooperation systems with related organizations in preparation for actual disasters, and actively strive to promptly improve any deficiencies.”