Task Force Formed with 41 Departments, Led by Deputy District Mayor
Complaint Response and Facility Inspection Teams for Safety Management
Yongsan-gu, Seoul announced on the 12th that it has formed a dedicated task force (TF) to alleviate residents' inconveniences caused by the prolonged large-scale protests related to the impeachment in the Hannam-dong area. The task force is addressing issues such as waste disposal, noise, traffic, illegal parking, and safety management.
Employees of Yongsan-gu Office in Seoul are conducting safety management on the overpass at Bukhan-nam Samgeori intersection on the 4th. Provided by Yongsan-gu.
According to Yongsan-gu, since the 2nd, individual departments within the district office have been responding to the situation, conducting daily collection of up to 8 tons of household waste, managing pedestrian overpass safety, and performing environmental patrols. However, as residents' complaints surged and daily inconveniences and safety issues persisted due to the prolonged protests, a dedicated task force was established on the 9th. On the 10th, 190 employees have been working in shifts on-site to manage safety.
The dedicated task force is led by the deputy district mayor and consists of seven functional teams and one inspection team. It maintains an organic collaborative system by function, focusing on complaint response (Team 1) and facility inspection (Team 1). Additionally, the task force includes inspection, general management, support, and operational support teams (Complaint Response Team 2, Facility Inspection Team 2), medical support, and a total of 41 departments from the district office and health center.
Complaint response focuses on resolving daily inconveniences caused by the protests, including waste disposal and public restroom measures, noise management, traffic measures, reinforcement of illegal parking enforcement, and support for a safe educational environment at Hannam Elementary School.
Facility inspections strengthen safety management of pedestrian overpass facilities, protest materials, sewage facilities, and park restrooms. Medical support is responsible for emergency treatment or transportation to medical institutions in case of patient occurrence at the protest site. Ambulances from the health center are stationed near the protest area alongside the fire department to be prepared for medical situations.
Patrols are intensified to continuously check cleaning and collection status, and complaints related to uncollected household waste and street cleaning are promptly addressed using a directly managed mobile team. To facilitate smooth guidance to 13 public (open) restrooms around the protest site, related information has also been shared with the district office duty room. Noise management of the protests involves transmitting situations identified during patrols to the Yongsan Police Station. Rapid communication and sharing are ensured when complaints are received via the 120 response center or phone calls.
In preparation for cases where route buses stopping on Hannam-daero may pass bus stops without stopping due to road control, eight bus stops have been equipped with notices directing passengers to check detailed detour information at the Seoul City Traffic Information Center (TOPIS). The Yongsan 01 village bus does not overlap with the protest area but will take temporary detours in case of traffic congestion.
In residential areas near the protest site, additional enforcement teams have been organized alongside regular parking violation patrol teams to continue parking order guidance activities. Noise and illegal dumping near Hangang Elementary School will be managed through cooperation with the education office, and complaints will be promptly shared with related agencies to minimize inconveniences.
Two pedestrian overpasses near Bukhan-nam Samgeori and in front of Hannam Elementary School were inspected twice by external experts on the 3rd and 5th. The inspection results showed no major safety issues, but it was advised to manage the load to prevent exceeding limits when large crowds pass simultaneously. Accordingly, the district will continue on-site management by controlling the number of people as needed to ensure pedestrian overpass safety.
To secure pedestrian safety, the task force encourages the removal of protest materials so they are not left unattended after the protests end. Safety checks and necessary measures are regularly conducted on 199 sewage facilities such as manholes and storm drains near the protest site.
Inspections are also strengthened for facilities such as park restrooms and parking lots within Eungbong Neighborhood Park nearby. Patrols monitor restroom conditions, illegal parking, and walking paths, taking action when situations arise.
Park Hee-young, head of Yongsan-gu Office, stated, “We formed a dedicated task force to alleviate residents' inconveniences caused by the protests and to strengthen facility safety management. We will carefully monitor the situation and share information with related agencies so that residents can live with some peace of mind.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
