<기사제목>Fire Agency Conducts Proactive Disaster Prevention at Performance Venues and Art Galleries

Inspection of 11 Nationwide Cultural and Assembly Facilities

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The National Fire Agency announced on the 6th that it will conduct a centralized fire safety inspection of 11 cultural and assembly facilities nationwide until the 23rd.

In October 2020, a fire broke out overnight at a performance hall in Seoul, resulting in the cancellation of all remaining scheduled performances and planned exhibitions. The venue decided to refund 110% to ticket holders who had purchased tickets. Cultural and assembly facilities, which are used for various events, exhibitions, and performances, are spaces where many people gather simultaneously, raising concerns about large-scale casualties and property damage in the event of a disaster.

According to data from the National Fire Information Center of the National Fire Agency, there were a total of 552 fires at cultural and assembly facilities over the past five years. Accordingly, the National Fire Agency has established the '2023 Fire Safety Inspection Promotion Plan' and will conduct fire safety inspections to proactively prevent various safety accidents such as fires and to establish a rapid response system.

The targets of this fire safety inspection are 11 facilities nationwide, including five locations in Seoul such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Seoul Arts Center, one in Daegu, two in Busan, two in Gwangju, and one in Jeonbuk.

The on-site inspection team, composed of experts in firefighting, hazardous materials, architecture, electricity, and safety, will focus on ▲ the closure, blockage, and maintenance status of firefighting facilities ▲ the prior removal of evacuation obstacles such as evacuation routes ▲ the maintenance and management status of emergency generators ▲ and the safety management status of electricity, gas, hazardous materials, etc.

Issues that can be immediately corrected will be addressed on-site, and for matters requiring administrative orders, prompt corrective actions will be taken along with thorough follow-up safety management guidance.

Hwang Gi-seok, Director of Fire Prevention, stated, “With the easing of COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, it is expected that more visitors will come to performance halls, art museums, and exhibition centers.” He added, “In cultural and assembly facilities, initial fire extinguishing and evacuation are most important, and we will ensure no negligence in safety management through comprehensive safety consulting.” He also urged, “We ask citizens to develop safety habits such as checking the location of emergency exits regularly and to prepare for any possible disaster situations.”