Songpa District Deploys 250 Staff for Emergency Duty During Lunar New Year Holiday

21 Detailed Tasks in 5 Key Areas from February 13 to 19

Songpa District in Seoul (District Mayor Seo Gangseok) will implement a "Comprehensive Plan for the Lunar New Year Holiday" from February 13 to 19 to ensure that residents' daily lives are not disrupted during the Lunar New Year holiday period.

The district announced on February 8 that it will operate a comprehensive situation room during the holiday period and maintain an emergency work system by deploying a total of 250 personnel, in order to respond quickly to accidents and inconveniences. This plan consists of 21 detailed tasks across five key areas: stabilizing livelihoods, ensuring resident safety, transportation use, resolving daily inconveniences, and establishing public service discipline.

Seo Gangseok, District Mayor, visits a traditional market to encourage merchants ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. 2024. Provided by Songpa District.

The district will look after neighbors who may feel even more lonely during the holiday. With sponsorship from Lotte World, it will deliver 100 "Dream On (Warm) Boxes" containing food and daily necessities to low-income households, check in on elderly people living alone, and strengthen patrols for homeless individuals.

Events will also be held to revitalize traditional markets and local commercial districts. Eight traditional markets and shopping streets within the district will run holiday discount promotions and events, and on February 10 and 11, a direct sales market for agricultural, livestock, and fishery products will be held near the district office to help residents shop at affordable prices.

The district will maintain its disaster response and snow removal systems to prepare for sudden cold waves or heavy snowfall, while also strengthening inspections and patrols of large construction sites, disaster-vulnerable facilities, and multi-use facilities.

To prevent gaps in medical services, 554 hospitals and clinics and 341 pharmacies that will remain open during the holiday period have been designated and will be in operation. A special emergency medical treatment situation room will be operated at the public health center to provide real-time information on open hospitals and pharmacies.

In addition, a mobile cleaning team will be deployed to focus on areas vulnerable to waste collection, and enforcement against illegal late-night taxi practices will be carried out alongside crackdowns on illegal parking and stopping to ease traffic congestion. A total of 14 locations, including public parking lots and parking lots attached to schools and public facilities, will be opened free of charge to alleviate parking concerns.

Seo Gangseok, Mayor of Songpa District, said, "We will thoroughly manage safety and all aspects of daily life so that the everyday routines of Songpa residents do not come to a halt even during the holiday," adding, "We will take full responsibility to ensure that residents can enjoy a comfortable Lunar New Year holiday without worries."