"Seoul City to Conduct Eulji Exercise from 19th in Preparation for North Korean Drones and Trash Balloons"

Mayor Oh Se-hoon Discusses Wartime Issues Including Drone Threats After Situation Report on 19th
Civil Defense Drill for Air Raid Preparedness Scheduled on 22nd Afternoon... Evacuate to Shelters Upon Alarm

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is recently conducting a wartime situation inspection reflecting security situations such as North Korea's drone threats and the release of balloon-borne waste.

On the 16th, Seoul announced that it will participate in the Eulji Exercise, an emergency preparedness drill that verifies and supplements government-level emergency preparedness plans in preparation for wartime, incidents, or equivalent national emergencies, for four days starting from the 19th.

First, the exercise will begin with the opening of the joint wartime comprehensive situation room with related organizations on the 19th. It will be conducted assuming various situations that may occur during emergencies, such as wartime situation response, discussion of wartime pending issues, tabletop exercises, and joint counter-terrorism responses involving civilian, government, military, and police sectors. In line with this, Mayor Oh Se-hoon plans to receive situation reports, preside over discussions related to drone threats, and seek response measures.

On the 20th, a counter-terrorism drill for multi-use facilities will be held at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in Songpa-gu. Based on joint exercises with related civilian, government, military, and police organizations, measures to minimize damage in preparation for drone terrorism or infiltration by special operations forces will be established.

At 2 p.m. on the 22nd, there will be an air raid civil defense drill in which Seoul citizens directly participate. When an air raid warning is issued, citizens must move to the nearest underground facility or civil defense shelter. In some sections of Seoul city, vehicles will be restricted for 5 minutes, and vehicles in operation must stop on the right side of the road to secure an emergency lane. Shelter locations can be checked via the Safe Stepping Stone app and the National Disaster Safety Portal website.

Ryu Dae-chang, Seoul’s civil defense officer, said, "This year’s Seoul Eulji Exercise focuses on enhancing emergency response capabilities and improving integrated wartime situation response abilities reflecting changing security situations. All public officials will participate to thoroughly prepare for wartime assumed scenarios and master work procedures."