"Shovels Instead of Ceremony" Gochang County Deploys All Staff for Snow Removal Amid Heavy Snowfall

Up to 10.9 cm of Snow in Seongsong-myeon
Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Activated

On the morning of the 2nd, up to 10.9cm of heavy snow fell in Gochang County, Jeonbuk, leading the Gochang County Office to cancel the New Year's opening ceremony and deploy all staff to snow removal sites. Photo by Gochang County Office

Gochang County in Jeonbuk canceled its New Year's opening ceremony and deployed all staff to snow removal sites in response to the heavy snowfall that began on the first day of the new year.

According to Gochang County on January 2, as of 6 a.m. that day, the average accumulated snowfall in the area reached 8.8 cm. In particular, Seongsong-myeon saw up to 10.9 cm of snow, significantly increasing the risk of road icing and other safety hazards.

The county activated its Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and entered emergency work mode starting on the evening of January 1. To manage snow removal and monitor the situation, 46 personnel were urgently deployed, and snow removal materials-including 750 tons of salt and 250 tons of calcium chloride-were distributed to the sites. In addition, all available equipment was mobilized, including 9 dump trucks, 2 excavators, 241 town and township tractors, and 16 pedestrian snow removal machines. Intensive snow removal operations were carried out on 34 routes covering a total of 327 kilometers, including major roads, slopes, and bridges, according to county officials.

To ensure pedestrian safety and prevent traffic accidents, Gochang County Governor Sim Deok-seop made the decision to cancel the staff New Year's ceremony. From early morning, he personally visited the sites and worked alongside public officials to clear snow from vulnerable areas in the city center.

Governor Sim emphasized, "We must do our utmost in snow removal to prevent residents from experiencing difficulties in their daily lives due to the heavy snow," and urged, "Since additional heavy snowfall is forecast, I ask all residents to actively participate in clearing snow in front of their homes."

Meanwhile, Gochang County has designated the period until March 15 as the winter natural disaster response period and plans to operate a 24-hour monitoring system, focusing administrative resources on measures against heavy snow and cold waves.