Jeon Hae-cheol Urges Thorough Safety Measures Including Increased Metropolitan Public Transport and Pre-Deployment of Snow Removal Equipment

Emergency Instructions for Heavy Snow Response Over 3-4 Days

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As heavy snowfall is forecast in the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions from the evening of the 3rd to the early morning of the 4th, Jeon Hae-cheol, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), urged thorough implementation of measures such as advising early return home during the evening commute mainly in the metropolitan area, increasing public transportation services, and snow removal and ice control on vulnerable roads.

On the 3rd, Head Jeon instructed, "Since traffic congestion due to snowfall is expected in the metropolitan area during the evening hours today, please guide early return home to disperse traffic volume during the commute and prepare measures to increase public transportation services, such as adjusting dispatch intervals in advance." The Ministry of the Interior and Safety activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters from 4 p.m. that day.

He continued, "In preparation for concentrated heavy snowfall during the commute hours, please pre-position snow removal materials and equipment, and especially strengthen patrols in areas prone to freezing during the early morning hours, and thoroughly implement safety measures such as pre-application of de-icing agents."

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to guide citizens in the metropolitan area to return home early and, if necessary, increase public transportation services or adjust dispatch intervals.

They will also advance-deploy snow removal equipment and vehicles mainly on vulnerable roads and pre-apply snow removal materials to prepare for road icing. For habitual congestion sections or accident-prone areas, rapid traffic control and provision of related information to navigation companies will be carried out.

Furthermore, thorough snow removal will be conducted on mountain passes, highway entrances and exits, and boundary roads. Through various media such as disaster broadcasts and disaster text messages (CBS), weather updates will be delivered focusing on heavy snow warning areas, and public action guidelines such as using public transportation, reducing speed, and maintaining safe distances will be expanded.

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