Seoul City Conducts Safety Inspection of Han River Cruise Ships and Dock Water Facilities in Preparation for Flood and Wind Damage

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Hangang Project Headquarters announced on the 29th that it will conduct intensive safety inspections of water facilities on the Hangang River during the summer season.

The headquarters conducts safety inspections of water facilities once a month, and with the arrival of the summer months of July and August, it has focused on the increase in water leisure activity participants and preparations for flood and water damage, launching intensive inspections.

The inspection targets include 26 private water facilities and 15 water leisure business sites, checking compliance with safety rules as well as COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.

First, to prevent safety accidents, the placement and operation status of life-saving equipment such as life rings at each facility and the qualifications and work status of lifeguards are checked.

To prepare for typhoons and heavy rains, the securing and aging condition of ship fastening equipment are inspected. Also, since items placed on water facilities can be blown away by strong winds causing accidents, the securing status of these items is examined. Compliance with COVID-19 quarantine rules such as electronic visitor logs, mask-wearing, and social distancing between seats is also thoroughly checked for visitors at each facility.

If minor issues such as the abandonment of stored items are found during inspections, immediate correction on site is required. In cases where repairs or reinforcements are needed, such as missing life rings or expired fire extinguishers, improvement orders are issued for prompt correction, and if necessary, fines or legal actions are also enforced. From January to June, 158 improvement items were identified and addressed during regular inspections.

Additionally, the headquarters completed fire safety inspections of water facilities in cooperation with the local fire station in May and plans to conduct a joint national safety diagnosis with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in October.

Hwang In-sik, head of the Seoul Hangang Project Headquarters, said, “This is a time when outdoor activities are greatly restricted due to COVID-19,” adding, “The Hangang Project Headquarters will use this period as a foundation for thorough and meticulous safety inspections to create a Hangang Park that people can always trust and visit.”

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