Gyeonggi Province to Jointly Respond to Emergencies with Seoul, Incheon, and Gangwon

Gyeonggi Province held an emergency planning officers meeting on the 26th at the Uijeongbu Northern Government Complex with three neighboring local governments: Seoul, Incheon, and Gangwon Province. Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Government

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has decided to strengthen its cooperation system with neighboring local governments such as Seoul, Incheon, and Gangwon in case of emergencies.

On the 26th, Gyeonggi Province held the 'Emergency Planning Officers Meeting of Four Border Area Cities and Provinces' with Seoul, Incheon, and Gangwon at the Uijeongbu Northern Government Complex, agreeing to establish an organic cooperation system among agencies in the event of an emergency.

This meeting was held in response to the fact that the invasion of the Seoul metropolitan airspace by five North Korean drones on December 26 last year was not communicated to local governments, resulting in no civil defense alarm issuance or resident evacuation.

The emergency planning officers of the four cities and provinces agreed that in the unstable domestic and international security situation, organic communication and cooperation among neighboring agencies are essential for effective response to emergencies and disasters, and they shared the view that the cooperation system should be further strengthened.

In particular, in the event of an emergency, they conducted in-depth discussions on the current situation, agency-specific improvements, and best practices regarding ▲improvement plans for information and situation sharing systems ▲enhancement plans for situation room operation systems ▲and establishment plans for communication systems among related agencies.

Lee Soon-gu, Emergency Planning Officer of Gyeonggi Province, emphasized, "The Border Area Emergency Preparedness Council was formed in May 2022 at the proposal of Gyeonggi Province to prepare for emergencies in border areas. We will continue to seek cooperation and development plans to ensure the safety of residents."

Meanwhile, the council currently plays a role in building networks among the four cities and provinces, strengthening cooperation with central government ministries, and jointly responding by discovering cooperative tasks when promoting various projects.