Prime Minister Jeong: "Rapid Aging of Infrastructure... Proactive Management Must Begin"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated on the 29th, "We must start systematic and proactive management of infrastructure before it is too late," adding, "Right now is the golden time to strengthen the safety of aging infrastructure."

At the first meeting of the Infrastructure Management Committee and the appointment ceremony for committee members held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the same day, Prime Minister Chung said, "Infrastructure that has been in use for over 30 years accounts for 18% of the total, and this ratio is expected to increase to around 40% in 10 years, indicating rapid aging of infrastructure."

He emphasized, "Aging facilities are directly linked to public safety, can disrupt economic activities, and may incur costs greater than preventive safety investments. We have had painful experiences with the fire in the Seoul Seodaemun communication duct and the rupture of the Goyang heat transmission pipe that occurred two years ago."

Last year, the government decided to spend 32 trillion won by 2023 to renovate old infrastructure such as roads, railways, gas, and communication facilities, and to establish a systematic management system as part of strengthening infrastructure safety.

Prime Minister Chung expressed, "Through proactive investment in infrastructure and the establishment of an effective management system, we must ensure the safety of citizens' lives and support national competitiveness," adding, "We must also foster related industries and create new jobs."

He continued, "We must prioritize public safety by reducing risks in aging infrastructure and securing competitiveness," and stated, "We will set investment priorities focusing on aging facilities with high risk or significant economic impact, and implement timely repairs based on detailed inspections as a proactive response."

Furthermore, he added, "We will expand the scope of safety monitoring by effectively detecting invisible potential risks and devising ways for facility users to participate in identifying risk factors."

Prime Minister Chung also explained, "We must improve management efficiency and revitalize related industries through a smart maintenance system utilizing advanced technologies," and said, "We will expand the application of advanced technologies such as big data throughout the entire maintenance process, including condition diagnosis, analysis, and history management."

He also stated, "We will actively promote research and development (R&D) for smart maintenance using drones, robots, and AI (artificial intelligence)," and added, "Infrastructure management will become a new growth engine in the construction sector."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.