Introducing the Concept of "Disaster-Level Heavy Rain" and Establishing "Korean-Style Port Design Standards"
Prime Minister Kim: "Striving for Zero Accidents at Mass Gatherings... Thorough Response to Industrial Accidents and Holiday Risks"
The government has announced plans to strengthen physical infrastructure, such as reinforcing aging facilities, and to enhance weather and disaster forecasting systems in order to proactively prevent large-scale damage caused by increasingly frequent abnormal weather events. To this end, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will raise regional disaster prevention performance targets, while the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and other relevant agencies will tighten facility design standards and gradually reinforce existing structures.
On the afternoon of October 2, the government held the 131st Central Safety Management Committee and Central-Local Safety Inspection Meeting at the Seoul Government Complex, presided over by Prime Minister Kim Minseok, where it announced a comprehensive plan for responding to natural disasters.
Under this plan, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will raise design standards for underpasses and roads (from 50 to 100 years for underpasses, and from 20 to 30 years for slopes). The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will establish "Korean-style port design standards" that reflect changes in marine environments and sea level rise due to climate change.
The government will also improve the speed and accuracy of weather and disaster forecasting systems by expanding meteorological observation networks, improving the resolution of numerical forecasts, introducing artificial intelligence (AI) models, increasing the number of water level observation stations, and expanding the number of forecast points.
Led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, relevant agencies such as the National Police Agency, the National Fire Agency, and the Korea Meteorological Administration will introduce the concept of "disaster-level heavy rainfall," establish new emergency disaster alert messages, mandate control and evacuation in areas at risk of casualties, and systematize proactive deployment of firefighting resources for initial response.
In addition, to prevent delays in information sharing among response agencies, emergency call information from fire, police, and maritime police will be shared in real time with local governments. The system of dispatching situation cooperation officers to local fire situation rooms will also be expanded nationwide.
Furthermore, the government will legally mandate post-management of disaster mitigation facilities for development projects at risk of disasters and will introduce a "preliminary review system for forest disaster risk" for development projects adjacent to mountainous areas. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will also work to improve customized support systems that reflect the needs of natural disaster victims.
Meanwhile, on the same day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported plans to strengthen crowd safety management at festivals, performances, airports, and other venues with high risk of crowd-related accidents in the second half of this year. The ministry has designated the period until November 16 as the "Special Countermeasures Period for Autumn Regional Festivals" and from October 24 to November 2 as the "Special Countermeasures Period for Halloween," with plans to ensure thorough on-site management. In addition, Seoul, Busan, and South Gyeongsang Province have designated events expected to draw crowds of more than 5,000 people at once as key management targets and reported that they will implement safety measures accordingly.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Prime Minister Kim stated, "I urge the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and other relevant agencies and local governments to make every effort to achieve zero accidents at large-scale events in the second half of the year." He added, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, together with relevant ministries and local governments, should focus especially on safety management for mass gatherings." He also noted that the Chuseok holiday is approaching and urged, "Relevant agencies must maintain thorough readiness to respond to all types of risks, including industrial accidents, traffic accidents, and fires."
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