Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced that it will complete the school asbestos removal project by 2026.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education will remove all asbestos from schools by 2026.
On the 13th, the Office announced that to create schools safe from asbestos, fire, and earthquakes, it will strengthen support for three major projects: ▲Asbestos Removal Project ▲Sandwich Panel Improvement Project ▲Seismic Reinforcement Project.
This year, the Office will first invest 136.5 billion KRW for the asbestos removal project (199 schools), 7.6 billion KRW for the sandwich panel improvement project (53 schools), and 11.4 billion KRW for the seismic reinforcement project (27 schools).
The current asbestos removal rate in schools across the province is 70%. Upon completion of this year's projects, it will increase to 80%, and the Office expects to complete the asbestos removal project by 2026.
The sandwich panel improvement project is part of a comprehensive fire safety plan for educational facilities. It involves upgrading building finishing materials vulnerable to fire to non-combustible or higher fire-resistant materials to prevent fire outbreaks in advance. Originally scheduled for completion in 2031, the deadline has been moved up to 2025.
The seismic reinforcement project for school facilities has been actively promoted since the 2017 Pohang earthquake to ensure the safety of school buildings. The Office aims to complete seismic reinforcements by 2029.
Kim Gwi-tae, head of the Facilities Division at the Office of Education, stated, "We will prioritize safe asbestos removal and make greater efforts to create schools safe from asbestos."
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