Tomorrow's 'High-Concentration Fine Dust Response Drill'... Ministry of Environment Operates 'Comprehensive Situation Room'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Ministry of Environment will conduct a disaster response drill tomorrow (the 3rd) in collaboration with related ministries and local governments to prepare for high concentrations of fine dust.

This drill has been organized to check the preparedness and cooperation system of each agency ahead of the expected high concentration fine dust period from December to March. It will be conducted assuming an actual situation where the crisis alert level 'Caution' is issued according to the ultrafine dust disaster crisis management standard manual, and emergency reduction measures Level 2 are implemented.

The procedure is as follows: ▲ On the afternoon before the drill, the Ministry of Environment will disseminate the drill situation to related ministries and 17 cities and provinces ▲ At 6 a.m. on the day, the drill situation will begin, implementing fine dust reduction measures at workplaces and construction sites ▲ At 8 a.m., a joint situation inspection meeting will be held chaired by Vice Minister Hong Jeong-gi of the Ministry of Environment ▲ The drill will end at 4 p.m.

Fine dust reduction measures will be implemented flexibly considering the COVID-19 situation.

Adjusting the operation rate of public workplaces and restricting dust-generating processes such as excavation at government construction sites will be actually implemented at one site per city/province, while restrictions on the operation of Grade 5 vehicles and upper limits at thermal power plants will be replaced by written drills.

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae will visit Seoul City Hall on the morning of the 3rd to check the progress of the drill, and Vice Minister Hong Jeong-gi will inspect the reduction measures at the municipal waste incineration facility in Changwon City.

Eight regional environmental offices under the Ministry of Environment will deploy advanced equipment such as 15 mobile measuring vehicles and 18 drones to conduct special non-face-to-face inspections targeting densely populated industrial complexes such as Siwha and Banwol Industrial Complexes and Ulsan Industrial Complex.

The National Institute of Environmental Research will deploy two unmanned airships to Yeouido Hangang Park and Banpo Hangang Citizen Park in Seoul to actively promote the drill and encourage public participation.

The Ministry of Environment will operate the 'Comprehensive Situation Room for High Concentration Fine Dust' from this month until March next year to enhance fine dust response capabilities. The situation room is a temporary organization directly under the Vice Minister of Environment and serves as the command center for responding to high concentration fine dust, including issuing crisis alerts. It manages the implementation status of the second seasonal fine dust management plan together with the Fine Dust Improvement Planning Group of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae stated, "High concentration fine dust can occur at any time during winter due to weather conditions, etc. We will do our best to respond to high concentration fine dust through drills, operation of the comprehensive situation room, and implementation of the second seasonal management plan."

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