Ministry of the Interior and Safety Activates Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at Level 1

Minister Jeon Hae-cheol of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety inspecting the earthquake response situation in Seogwipo
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Ju-seong = On the afternoon of the 14th, Minister Jeon Hae-cheol of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety is presiding over a response situation inspection meeting at the Government Seoul Office following a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that occurred 41 km southwest of Seogwipo City, Jeju. 2021.12.14
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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Junhyung] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety activated Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) to assess damage after a magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred at 5:19 PM on the 14th near the waters off Seogwipo City, Jeju.

Immediately after the earthquake, at 5:22 PM, the Ministry held a situation assessment meeting chaired by Disaster and Safety Headquarters Director Lee Seungwoo and activated CDSCH Level 1. Later, around 6 PM, a CDSCH meeting was held chaired by Minister Jeon Haecheol of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Attendees included officials from the Korea Meteorological Administration, National Fire Agency, Coast Guard, Jeju Province, and Jeollanam-do.

At the meeting, a Korea Meteorological Administration official explained, "So far, four aftershocks have occurred, but their magnitudes are not at a level to cause concern for further aftershocks," and added, "There is no possibility of a tsunami." A Jeju Province official reported, "There was a report of property damage involving twisted apartment railings in Jeju, but no cases of human casualties have been reported." As of 6:30 PM that day, the fire authorities had received one report of property damage.

Minister Jeon Haecheol urged the Korea Meteorological Administration to closely monitor the possibility of aftershocks. He also instructed Jeju Province and Jeollanam-do to "thoroughly check the damage status of vulnerable groups such as elderly people living alone."

The National Fire Agency stated that as of 5:50 PM, 131 reports of feeling the earthquake had been received, but no reports of human or disaster-related damage were filed.

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