Seocho-gu's 'Resident Autonomous Snow Removal Team' Gains Attention for Thwarting Sudden Heavy Snowfall

18 Neighborhood Functional Organizations Form Seocho Resident Autonomous Snow Removal Team Composed Only of Residents Including Tong and Ban Leaders...In Response to Overnight Heavy Snow Forecast, Rapid Situation Sharing and Snow Removal Work Initiated via Group Chat...Dedicated Teams for Snow Removal Vulnerable Areas and Tong and Ban Leader Snow Removal Teams Familiar with Neighborhood Geography Enhance Efficiency Through Role Division

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] As the snow that started falling heavily from the evening of the 3rd showed no signs of stopping, alarms began ringing in the group chat.

This is a resident autonomous snow removal team group chat, where members of local professional organizations, neighborhood association heads, and block leaders are invited.

Upon receiving notifications from the community center, the snow removal teams grabbed brooms and shovels and began clearing snow from sidewalks and side streets prone to ice buildup to ensure pedestrian safety.

Seeing this, nearby residents and shop owners gradually came out, asking if there were any spare tools and joining in the effort.

The Seocho Resident Autonomous Snow Removal Team was formed and began operating after the sudden heavy snowfall in January caused traffic paralysis, highlighting the importance of residents’ “clearing snow in front of their own homes.”

The team consists of neighborhood and block leaders who are well aware of the vulnerable snow removal blind spots in the 18 local districts, along with residents from professional organizations actively participating in creating a better community.

In particular, residents from professional organizations take charge of vulnerable areas such as slopes, shaded spots, and overpasses, while neighborhood and block leaders manage their respective areas, leading snow removal efforts and encouraging and promoting resident participation to improve snow removal efficiency.

Kim Kyung-ja, who participated in the snow clearing on this day (from Bangbae 3-dong Resident Autonomous Snow Removal Team), said, “Hearing the sound of brooms, neighborhood residents gradually took interest and joined in, and as we all worked hard to clear the snow, a sense of camaraderie developed by the end. I am grateful to the autonomous snow removal team and residents who willingly volunteered for the safety of the community.”

During this emergency snow removal operation, the snowfall measured 4.5 cm. A total of 904 people, including private organizations and staff, and 31 snow removal vehicles were mobilized. 209 tons of deicing agents were used, with pre-application before the snowfall and continuous snow removal efforts carried out.

A district official stated, “Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the resident autonomous snow removal team working in areas the district office could not attend to, complaints caused by the heavy snowfall have significantly decreased. We will continue to collaborate with residents and do our best to prevent winter disasters such as heavy snow and cold waves.”

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