Festival Commemorating the APEC Summit... Pohang City Implements Special Measures for Citizen Safety

Citizen Safety Comes First:
Deputy Mayor Jang Sangkil Presides Over Safety Management Working Committee
Comprehensive Safety Measures Strengthened
for Large Crowds and Fire Hazards at Fireworks and Drone Shows

Pohang City is implementing special measures to ensure the safety of citizens ahead of large-scale festivals, such as the fireworks and drone show to be held in Pohang in commemoration of the APEC Summit.

On October 15, the city held a Safety Management Working Committee meeting at the Disaster and Safety Comprehensive Situation Room, presided over by Deputy Mayor Jang Sangkil. During the meeting, the committee discussed comprehensive measures to prevent crowd-related accidents and secure citizen safety, and decided to focus administrative resources on these efforts.

Pohang City held a Safety Management Working Committee meeting ahead of events such as the fireworks and drone show to be held in Pohang in commemoration of the APEC Summit. Photo by Pohang City

The meeting was attended by representatives from Pohang Nambu and Bukbu Police Stations, Pohang Nambu and Bukbu Fire Stations, Pohang Coast Guard, Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Pohang Regional Architects Association, Nam-gu and Buk-gu Public Health Centers, and festival hosting and organizing departments. The participants reviewed the adequacy of the safety management plan.

As a large number of visitors are expected during the festival period, the city has established detailed measures to prevent crowding accidents. In particular, in consideration of the nature of events involving explosive materials such as fireworks and firecrackers, the city has prepared specific plans for fire prevention, securing emergency evacuation routes, and maintaining order.

Additionally, on October 28, a joint inspection will be conducted with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, North Gyeongsang Province, and other relevant agencies to proactively eliminate risk factors that could threaten the safety of citizens and tourists, and to strengthen emergency response readiness.

Pohang City plans to identify risk factors in advance at high-risk festivals and block dangers in real time by utilizing AI-based crowd analysis CCTV. Furthermore, the city will establish close cooperation with the police, fire department, and coast guard, and devote all efforts to safety management.

Deputy Mayor Jang Sangkil emphasized, "The most important thing for the successful hosting of this festival is safety," adding, "We will do our utmost to ensure that both citizens and tourists can enjoy the festival with peace of mind through thorough preparation and cooperation among relevant agencies."

Going forward, the city will continue to classify festivals and outdoor events as high-risk if they involve more than 1,000 peak visitors at any moment, are held in mountainous or waterfront areas, or involve the use of explosive materials such as fireworks or petroleum products. The Safety Management Working Committee will review the adequacy of management plans for these events, and joint safety inspections with relevant agencies will be conducted on an ongoing basis.

In August, Pohang City was selected as the top institution in the '2025 Korea National Safety Transformation Intensive Safety Inspection.'