Eight Years After the Pohang Earthquake: "Unending Disaster Chronicle"… Special Documentary to Air on Pohang MBC on the 13th

Special Documentary Marks 8th Anniversary of Pohang Earthquake
Eight Years After the Disaster: Ongoing Pain and the Search for True Recovery

Eight years have passed, but the nightmare of November 15, 2017, remains a present reality.

To mark the 8th anniversary of the 11·15 Pohang Earthquake, Pohang City has produced a special documentary titled "Pohang Earthquake 8 Years, Unhealed Wounds," which will air twice on Pohang MBC: at 9 p.m. on the 13th and at 10 a.m. on the 16th.

Pohang MBC special documentary 'Pohang Earthquake 8 Years, Unhealed Wounds' screen.

This special documentary reviews the eight-year record since the Pohang Earthquake, reiterating that the disaster was not a natural calamity but a triggered earthquake caused by a geothermal power plant, and that it was a man-made disaster resulting from multiple cases of professional negligence. It also aims to deepen understanding of the ongoing psychological difficulties faced by victims of the Pohang Earthquake.

According to recent data from the Pohang Trauma Center, about 20% of those surveyed are still experiencing high-risk earthquake trauma, and many are also reporting economic hardship.

The majority of Pohang citizens who experienced the earthquake remain highly anxious, startled even by loud noises, but from an outsider's perspective, the Pohang Earthquake is often seen as a disaster that occurred "as long as eight years ago." Some have questioned, in light of subsequent major disasters, how long the story of the Pohang Earthquake should continue to be told.

Through this documentary, Pohang City intends to revisit what is truly needed for "genuine recovery for victims" and to shed light on the legal and social issues of responsibility and compensation related to the Pohang Earthquake.

The documentary centers on interviews with citizens and experts, aiming to spark discussion not only about the physical restoration of earthquake damage but also about "people-centered recovery" and the "continuation of a normal daily life."

Special documentary broadcast on the 13th on Pohang MBC.

Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, "This special documentary for the 8th anniversary of the Pohang Earthquake will reaffirm the meaning of genuine recovery for victims and serve as a stepping stone for Pohang City to become a model case of disaster resilience." He emphasized, "Clear responsibility and compensation for the Pohang Earthquake must follow so that the efforts of citizens, who have overcome their wounds through the power of community, are not in vain."

The magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck Pohang on November 15, 2017, was determined to be a triggered earthquake caused by geothermal power generation. In the first trial of the Pohang Triggered Earthquake mental damages lawsuit, the court recognized the psychological harm suffered by citizens and partially ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. However, in the appeals trial, the claim for damages was dismissed.

Pohang City plans to continue focusing its administrative resources on achieving true recovery from earthquake damage, which is the rightful claim of its citizens, and to further establish Pohang's status as a safe city.