Five Cultural Heritage Sites Including Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung Designated as 'National Critical Infrastructure'

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Designates Cultural Heritage and Underground Utility Tunnel for the First Time at Safety Policy Coordination Committee
Strengthened Punishment for Unregistered Lodging Businesses... Safety Enhancements for Coastal Waters and Suspension Bridges

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government has designated five major cultural assets, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, and 28 underground utility tunnels nationwide as national critical infrastructure to ensure their protection and management. For blind spots in management where repeated casualties or safety concerns are high, such as unregistered lodging businesses, the government plans to revise regulations and strengthen penalties.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it held the "2nd Safety Policy Coordination Committee Meeting of 2020" at the Government Sejong 2 Complex, attended by 25 ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, to discuss these matters.

At the meeting, the committee designated five cultural assets?Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Deoksugung Palace (including Sungnyemun Gate), and Jongmyo Shrine?as national critical infrastructure. Additionally, 28 underground utility tunnels, facilities that collectively manage buried power and communication lines, gas pipes, and water supply and sewage systems, were also included in the national critical infrastructure.

National critical infrastructure refers to facilities, systems, and assets that can significantly impact national functions and citizens' lives. Managing agencies are required to establish separate protection plans annually and conduct inspections and evaluations of management status. This is the first time cultural assets and underground utility tunnels have been designated as national critical infrastructure, increasing the total number of national critical infrastructure sites to 340.

The committee also decided to strengthen penalties for unregistered lodging businesses to prevent recurrence of similar accidents, such as the gas explosion at an unauthorized pension in Donghae in January. Furthermore, it plans to provide information on legitimate businesses by mandating the attachment of registration certificates, guiding consumers to make informed choices.

The Korea Coast Guard will conduct a comprehensive survey of high-risk areas in coastal waters in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and local governments, subsequently designating additional risk zones and reclassifying risk levels. In dangerous coastal areas with high accident likelihood, legislation will mandate the compulsory wearing of life jackets, and safety facilities such as warning signs, vehicle fall prevention bumps, and safety fences will be continuously expanded.

In addition, to prevent accidents caused by violations of safety regulations, such as last year's Gwangju club collapse and the collapse at a demolition site in Jamwon-dong, Seoul, new penalties will be introduced for non-compliance, and existing weak sanctions will be strengthened. Regarding suspension bridges, which are increasingly installed nationwide, supplementary safety management measures will be prepared, including expanding designation as third-class facilities and strengthening design safety assurance to prevent accidents among users.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young emphasized, "Through close consultation with various ministries and local governments, we have prepared preventive improvement measures across multiple fields. Since it is important that these measures function properly and are observed on the ground, continuous efforts must be made to ensure smooth implementation."

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