Yangpyeong County Promotes 'Safe City Ordinance'... Establishing Comprehensive Safety Policy
Operation of 'Local Safety Management Task Force' and Creation of Year-Round Inspection System
24-Hour Operation of Disaster Safety Situation Room... Enhancing Safety by Improving Child Protection Zones
In an era where the climate crisis and social disasters have become part of daily life, Yangpyeong County in Gyeonggi Province is accelerating its efforts in 'safety administration' to protect the lives and property of its residents.
According to Yangpyeong County on June 9, the county is working to reduce everyday risks and create a 'safe city Yangpyeong' where all residents can feel secure, through a wide range of efforts including institutional improvements, on-site response, and the adoption of smart technologies.
The starting point of the county's safety administration is the improvement of systems and regulations. The county is pushing for the enactment of the 'Safe City Ordinance' in 2025, establishing a comprehensive policy framework for the prevention of injuries and the promotion of safety for residents. This ordinance is expected to provide long-term direction for safety policies and serve as a foundation for institutionally guaranteeing residents' rights and participation.
In addition, to prevent disasters in advance, the county has been operating the 'Local Safety Management Task Force' since the end of last year. This task force, composed of 12 field staff, conducts year-round inspections of disaster-vulnerable facilities such as roads, rivers, buildings, and steep slopes. Customized inspections are carried out according to seasonal disaster types, including the thawing period, rainy season, summer, and winter. The scope also includes small-scale public facilities, private construction sites, and agricultural infrastructure. Through this approach, the county is systematizing previously fragmented inspections by different departments and establishing a proactive response system to minimize damage to residents.
Rapid initial response to disasters is another area where the county is focusing its attention. To this end, the county has converted its disaster safety situation room to a 24-hour operation system. To overcome the limitations of the previous semi-dedicated staff system, starting in the second half of 2025, additional dedicated personnel will be assigned to ensure that at least two people are on duty in shifts around the clock.
In particular, the county is strengthening its situational awareness and reporting system through real-time linkage with the CCTV Integrated Control Center, and is reorganizing its system to enable immediate response to disasters by collaborating with night surveillance personnel.
The 'Resident Safety Insurance,' a safety measure for residents, is also continuously operated. The county bears the full cost of the insurance, and residents are automatically enrolled without any separate procedures. In 2025, insurance payouts will be provided for a total of 14 types of incidents, including dog bite accidents, wild animal damage, and agricultural machinery accidents, helping to stabilize residents' lives. Notably, the policy is evaluated as an inclusive safety measure, as it covers all residents, including those with foreigner registration.
Redesigning urban spaces is a key pillar in responding to social disasters. In cooperation with the Yangpyeong Police Station, the county has launched the 'Safe Alleyway' project this year, applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) techniques to the Yanggeun 5-ri area of Yangpyeong-eup. The project includes not only physical facilities such as smart poles, LED lighting, and convex mirrors, but also resident participation programs such as crime prevention campaigns, focusing on restoring the city's 'sense of psychological safety.'
Recently, the county has been promoting the 'Smart City Solution Expansion Project' since last year to transform itself into a technology-based safe city. This project integrates crime prevention, disaster prevention, and traffic information management through smart crosswalks, smart poles, and a smart city integrated platform, and reflects residents' voices in policy-making through the operation of a resident living lab.
This year, the county has allocated a total budget of 820 million won for children's safety. Through this project, improvements are being made to child protection zones around 11 elementary schools, including red pavement for roads, installation of protective fences, raised intersections, and reinforcement of traffic safety signs. The construction will proceed for each facility in the second half of the year after a fact-finding survey and joint inspection with relevant agencies.
Yangpyeong County Governor Jeon Jinseon stated, "Disaster response is an administration that encompasses the entire process from prevention to recovery. We will concentrate our administrative capabilities on protecting the lives and property of our residents, and create a 'safe city Yangpyeong' that remains steadfast in the face of disasters."
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