Seoul Jongno to Establish 'Disaster Response Control Tower' ... Target Completion in 2024

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is set to construct a 'Firefighting Joint Building' in the Jongno district of the city center, aiming for completion in 2024. This facility will serve as the disaster response control tower for the entire city of Seoul.

On the 21st, Seoul announced plans to build the 'Firefighting Joint Building' on the current site of the Jongno Fire Station, spanning from four basement levels to 12 floors above ground, with a total floor area of 17,789 square meters.

The building will house the 'Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center (floors 9 to 12)', which manages everything from 119 emergency call reception to remote command and control of on-site activities, and the 'Fire Disaster Headquarters (floors 5 to 8)', which oversees fire prevention and suppression operations across Seoul, all under one roof. The Jongno Fire Station (floors 1 to 4) will also be located within the building.

The city expects that by integrating the Fire Disaster Headquarters and the Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center in the heart of Seoul, rapid disaster site command across the entire city will become possible. In particular, Jongno is noted for its geographic advantage, allowing access to any disaster site within Seoul in under 40 minutes.

It was also taken into account that 30% of underground-connected complex buildings, which pose a high risk of multiple casualties in the event of an accident, are located in the Gwanghwamun city center of Jongno, and that 66% of buildings taller than 30 floors are situated in Gwanghwamun and the Gangnam area.

Considering Seoul's urban characteristics, the city reviewed the location of the Firefighting Joint Building in the Gwanghwamun city center and gathered opinions from relevant experts. The city also referred to examples from major global cities such as New York and Tokyo, where fire headquarters are located in the urban core.

The city plans to announce a design competition within this month, complete the detailed design by December 2021, commence construction in the same month, and aim for completion in October 2024.

Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, emphasized, "The construction of the Firefighting Joint Building is based on the city administration philosophy that 'firefighting is the fortress of a safe Seoul,' establishing a foundation for rapid response to any disaster situation within the city." He added, "By integrating the Fire Disaster Headquarters and the Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center, which have shared disaster and accident control functions, in the heart of the city, we will respond even a second faster to increasingly large and complex disasters and accidents, creating a safer Seoul."

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