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Mayor Lee Donghwan Declares "War Against Flooding"... 142.5 Billion Won Invested in Disaster Prevention

Goyang Secures 103.4 Billion Won in National and Provincial Funds, Ranking First in Gyeonggi Province
Tanhyeon Runoff Reduction Facility Installation and Jangwol Disaster Risk Improvement Projects Underway
Challenge for Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Wind and Flood Disaster Living Area Maintenance Project... Additional 72.3 Billion Won Expected

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) has declared a "war against flooding" in response to recurring summer flood damage and will launch disaster prevention projects totaling 142.5 billion won. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, this year's monsoon season will begin in Jeju, with the southern regions expected to be affected from June 23 and the central regions from June 25.

Mayor Lee Donghwan Declares "War Against Flooding"... 142.5 Billion Won Invested in Disaster Prevention Lee Donghwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is delivering a greeting at the '2025 Summer Disaster Safety Headquarters Launch Ceremony.' Provided by Goyang Special City

According to Goyang Special City on June 13, the city has secured 103.4 billion won in national and provincial funds over the past three years, achieving the highest performance in Gyeonggi Province and establishing a leading disaster response system. This is the highest record in the province and is 32.4 billion won (about 146%) more than the second-ranked city or county, which secured 71 billion won.


In addition, the city has strengthened management of areas with high risks of flooding and accidents and has improved its disaster response system to secure the golden time during emergencies.


In 2024, the maximum hourly rainfall measured at the Daehwa Drainage Pumping Station in Goyang Special City reached 102mm, and the cumulative rainfall was 303mm, which is about twice as much as the previous year's hourly rainfall of 54mm and cumulative rainfall of 146mm.


The number of days with heavy rain advisories and warnings in 2024 also increased by two compared to the previous year, totaling 20 days, indicating that the frequency of heavy rainfall events has also risen.


In particular, in July last year, the city suffered flood damage to major roads such as the ramps near the Yukgapmun, Seongseok Samgeori, and Tanhyeon Underpass due to record-breaking extreme rainfall exceeding 100mm per hour.


To prevent a recurrence of such damage, Goyang Special City is taking proactive measures focused on flood-prone areas, including stormwater drain and river dredging, inspection of automatic vehicle barriers in underpasses, test operation and electrical inspection of both unmanned and manned drainage pumping stations, and securing and managing flood control materials.

Mayor Lee Donghwan Declares "War Against Flooding"... 142.5 Billion Won Invested in Disaster Prevention Stormwater Drain Dredging. Provided by Goyang City

For the Second Jayuro Expressway, the city has required contractors and related agencies to submit implementation reports on flood recurrence prevention measures and has strengthened safety management through thorough oversight and supervision.


Furthermore, to prevent casualties, the city has designated and manages a total of 39 locations?including underpasses and riverside walking trails with high risks of flooding and accidents?as "areas of concern for human casualties." The city has also established control measures for riverside walking trails and conducted facility safety inspections to build a more sophisticated response system. This year, the city expanded its safety management targets by designating five additional sites: two landslide-prone areas in Hangdong-dong and Wondang-dong, and three flood-prone areas in Gwansan-dong, Seonyu-dong, and Beopgot-dong.


Starting this year, Goyang Special City will fully implement the "Tanhyeon Excellent Runoff Reduction Facility Installation Project" to fundamentally improve the Tanhyeon-dong area, which suffered flood damage during the rainy seasons of 2022 and 2023.


The runoff reduction facility is designed to either infiltrate or temporarily store rainwater underground during heavy rainfall, thereby controlling drainage volume. The city plans to install a stormwater retention facility with a capacity of 19,200 cubic meters, capable of withstanding rainfall with an 80-year recurrence interval, and to upgrade the surrounding sewage pipes. The total project cost is 35 billion won (50% national funds, 15% provincial funds, 35% city funds). Upon completion, the facility is expected to prevent flooding in a nearby area of 175 hectares.


The city plans to allocate the budget in the second supplementary budget of the second half of this year and begin detailed design work.


In addition, the city is promoting the "Jangwol Natural Disaster Risk Improvement District Maintenance Project" for the Jangwolpyeongcheon area, which is prone to chronic flooding during summer heavy rains. The project includes the construction of two simple pumping stations and two drainage gates, as well as the maintenance of Jangwolpyeongcheon, to resolve drainage issues in low-lying areas and prevent flood damage in 109 hectares of urban and agricultural land. The total project cost is 32.5 billion won (50% national funds, 25% provincial funds, 25% city funds), with completion scheduled for 2029.

Mayor Lee Donghwan Declares "War Against Flooding"... 142.5 Billion Won Invested in Disaster Prevention Automatic Vehicle Barrier Facility at River Access. Provided by Goyang Special City

Meanwhile, the city is seeking to secure an additional 72.3 billion won in national and provincial funds by applying for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's "Wind and Flood Disaster Living Area Maintenance Project." Of the 32 areas currently designated as natural disaster risk zones, the city submitted a maintenance plan in March that includes the construction of new drainage pumping stations and channel facilities in the Seonyucheon and Dupocheon areas.


Because the comprehensive wind and flood disaster maintenance project is implemented by grouping adjacent risk zones, being selected is expected to simultaneously improve disaster prevention effectiveness and investment efficiency.


To ensure a swift and accurate response during summer wind and flood disasters, Goyang City operates a five-stage emergency duty system and a 24-hour disaster safety situation room.


In the situation room, 10 to 14 or more departments work according to the emergency stage, led by the disaster response officer, and an organic cooperation system is in place among on-site emergency recovery departments, 44 administrative welfare centers, and supporting departments in each district.


Through real-time information sharing linked to the integrated CCTV control center and the operation of a disaster response group SNS, the city quickly shares updates and has established a structure for coordinated response with relevant agencies such as the police and fire departments to ensure joint action in the event of damage.

Mayor Lee Donghwan Declares "War Against Flooding"... 142.5 Billion Won Invested in Disaster Prevention Installation Plan for Tanhyeon Excellent Runoff Reduction Facility. Provided by Goyang Special City

Mayor Lee Donghwan of Goyang Special City stated, "Many areas of Goyang are lower than the water level of the Han River, so drainage capacity is a key factor in flood prevention during heavy rainfall. We will make every effort in disaster prevention projects to protect the daily lives of citizens from increasingly frequent abnormal weather events."


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