"Increasing Heating Cables and Expanding Civil Snow Removal Teams"... Yongsan-gu Launches Winter Measures

Additional Installation of Heating Cables at 12 Snow Removal Vulnerable Sections
Operation of Private Snow Removal Teams Increased Tenfold

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Hee-young) has taken measures to prepare for winter by additionally installing road heating cables in snow removal vulnerable sections within the area and significantly expanding the personnel of the private snow removal task force.

This year, the district will add road heating cables to 12 locations, operating heating cables in a total of 22 locations covering 5.848 km of snow removal vulnerable sections. Including locations to be completed by next month, the total road heating cable operation sections will reach 24 locations, covering 6.583 km.

Yongsan-gu private snow removal task force launch ceremony. Provided by Yongsan-gu.

Road heating cables are facilities where carbon fiber heating wires are embedded beneath the road pavement. They automatically activate during snowfall to melt snow and prevent ice formation. Real-time monitoring of snowfall conditions and remote control enable rapid initial response. This method reduces the use of calcium chloride, making it a more environmentally friendly snow removal method.

The main sections where road heating cables were additionally installed this time include ▲Hyochangwon-ro 266 to Hyochangwon-ro 104ga-gil 1 (Seogye 1 Senior Center, Baemun High School) ▲Hyochangwon-ro 15-gil 42 to Hyochangwon-ro 35 (Gyesung Kindergarten, Yongsan Catholic Church) ▲Cheongam-dong 180 to Sancheon-dong 202 (Samgae-ro, Ilmin Kindergarten) ▲Hoenamu-ro 25-gil 1 to Hoenamu-ro 41-gil 5 (Hoenamu-ro), which are either village bus routes, children protection zones, school routes, or steep roads. The district plans to build a total of 10 km of road heating cables within the area by 2028.

This year, the district has also expanded the private snow removal task force personnel to at least 10 members in all 16 neighborhoods, operating a total of 209 people. This is more than 10 times the previous scale of about 20 people in 6 neighborhoods.

The private snow removal task force is an organization composed of local residents, volunteers, and business operators based on the jurisdiction of each neighborhood. They are deployed immediately to the site when snowfall is expected or occurs to carry out snow removal work. The focus will be on snow removal in major vulnerable areas, mountain passes, and habitual icing areas.

District Mayor Park Hee-young said, “We aimed to thoroughly ensure winter safety by establishing snow removal infrastructure and strengthening cooperation with the local community. Although snow removal is carried out every winter, we will not become complacent and will maintain a safer road environment more thoroughly.”

Meanwhile, the district has set the winter snow removal measures implementation period from the 15th of this month to March 15th of next year and will begin snow removal duty during this period.