Why Does Gwanak-gu Emphasize 'Unmanned Store Safety' Every Month?

Sample Survey Conducted on Unmanned Photo Studios and Laundries in Gwanak-gu... Store Owners Urged to Thoroughly Cooperate in Unmanned Store Safety Management

The Seoul Association of District Mayors Plans to Submit a Proposal to Designate Unmanned Stores as Subjects to the 'Multi-Use Facilities Act' Due to Increased Fire Risks, and Recommend Legal Revisions

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is taking proactive steps to improve safety management of unmanned stores, which have recently been overlooked in fire safety, by conducting a sample survey on the safety management status of unmanned stores in the area and promoting related legal amendments.

With the recent spread of contactless consumption culture, unmanned stores closely related to daily life such as unmanned photo studios, unmanned laundries, and unmanned meal kit stores are rapidly increasing. These unmanned stores, widely distributed from residential areas to commercial districts, are facilities used by many people but operate 24 hours without managers, making initial response difficult in case of disasters such as fires. They are mainly located on the first floors of multi-family residential buildings, increasing the risk of large-scale fires.

Accordingly, in January, the district conducted a ‘Safety Management Status Sample Survey’ on unmanned photo studios and laundries in areas densely populated with one-room apartments and major downtown areas of Gwanak-gu, checking for the presence of fire extinguishers, usage notices (precautions), and contact information.

Based on the survey results, the district plans to send a ‘Request for Thorough Cooperation in Unmanned Store Safety Management’ to the owners of 48 unmanned photo studios and 140 unmanned laundries in the area in February.

The cooperation letter includes contents on thorough safety management at workplaces, such as installing fire extinguishers in stores, cautioning against fire risks caused by powered-on hair irons, and prohibiting the insertion of lighters into washing machines and dryers.

The district is also raising its voice for institutional improvements such as legal amendments. It plans to submit a proposal to the Seoul Association of District Mayors, composed of the mayors of 25 autonomous districts in Seoul, to designate unmanned stores as subjects to the Multi-Use Facilities Act, and formally recommend legal amendments to the government.

If unmanned stores are designated as multi-use facilities under the Special Act on Safety Management of Multi-Use Facilities following the district’s proposal, legal obligations such as ▲installation of fire safety facilities and emergency exits ▲subscription to fire liability insurance ▲maintenance of fire doors and evacuation/fire prevention facilities ▲regular inspection of safety facilities will be imposed, which is expected to contribute to strengthening fire safety management of unmanned stores.

A district official said, “It is a time when both store owners operating unmanned stores and citizens using them need mature safety awareness,” adding, “We will continue to promote detailed safety management policies and eliminate safety blind spots through efforts to improve related laws and systems.”