Donghae City Declares "Citizen Safety Top Priority" for 2026... Launches Disaster Response Control Tower

Proactive Enhancement of Safety Facilities at Ports and Tourist Sites
Full Implementation of Accident Prevention-Oriented Administration
Continuous Operation of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters

Donghae City in Gangwon Province will focus its administrative efforts in 2026 on making "citizen safety the top priority."

Operation of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in Donghae City. Provided by Donghae City

On January 7, Donghae City announced that it will establish and operate the "2026 Donghae City Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and Integrated Disaster Site Support Headquarters" in the new year, strengthening year-round disaster response monitoring and preemptive preparedness systems.

The Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will be led by the head and deputy head, comprising 13 collaborative functional teams. It will serve as the city’s disaster response control tower, covering both natural and social disasters. Through this system, the city aims to minimize loss of life and property by ensuring swift situational assessment and coordinated interdepartmental responses in the event of a disaster.

Currently, Donghae City maintains and manages snow removal equipment and personnel at all times to prepare for heavy snow and cold waves during winter. The city is also reinforcing its field-based safety net by providing on-site welfare and medical services to disaster-vulnerable groups.

In addition, regular "Safety Inspection Day (Safety Round)" campaigns are being conducted to raise citizens’ safety awareness and proactively identify potential hazards in daily life.

Alongside these efforts, the city is also fully implementing a safety administration focused on accident prevention.

At the Cheongok Port breakwater area, which is frequently used by tourists and citizens, the city installed a 229-meter scenic safety fence, access control gates, and safety information facilities at the end of last year to proactively prevent fall and trip accidents.

This initiative was undertaken as a preemptive safety management measure to eliminate risk factors before accidents occur, rather than responding after the fact, taking into account Donghae City’s urban characteristics, where coastlines, ports, and tourist attractions are concentrated.

Coastal safety facility reinforcement and management system to be strengthened step by step. Provided by Donghae City

Starting with Cheongok Port, Donghae City plans to expand inspections to other ports and vulnerable coastal areas such as Daejin Port, and will gradually reinforce safety facilities and management systems, focusing on areas with frequent accidents.

The city also stated, "By strengthening disaster response systems and improving risk factors in daily life, we will raise the level of safety that citizens actually experience. We will shift to a prevention-oriented administration by reviewing all policies and projects from a safety perspective."

Lee Inseop, Head of the Safety Division, said, "Through the continuous operation of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, we will thoroughly monitor disaster response situations throughout the year, including the Lunar New Year holiday and the winter season. We will do our utmost to make Donghae City a safe place where citizens can live with peace of mind."

Park Ukki, Head of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Division, also emphasized, "We will continue to prioritize the safety of citizens and tourists visiting the coast and ports, and will persistently pursue field-based safety management and facility improvements."