Seoul City-Seoul Institute of Technology, Emergency Forum on 'Deep Underground Stormwater Drainage Tunnel' on the 24th

Discussion on the Past, Present, and Future of the Reinitiated 'Deep Underground Stormwater Drainage Tunnel' with Industry-Academia-Research Experts
Multifaceted Technical Proposals Including Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Stormwater Drainage Tunnel Used 15 Days Annually

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Institute of Technology announced on the 24th that they will hold an 'Emergency Forum on Flood Prevention' to explore measures to prevent flooding in Seoul caused by heavy rain. The deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel is a facility that creates a large tunnel 40 to 50 meters underground to store rainwater during heavy rain and then discharge it into rivers later.

At the in-depth discussion titled "Seoul's Deep Underground Rainwater Drainage Tunnel, Which Way Should We Go?" held at Seoul City Hall on the 24th, the session will begin with an opening by Han Je-hyun, Deputy Mayor for Administration of Seoul, followed by Han Yoo-seok, Director of the Water Circulation Safety Bureau, experts from the Seoul Institute of Technology, and industry-academia-research experts gathering to discuss structural measures to minimize flood damage in Seoul, the past and present of the deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel, and the direction it should take moving forward.

Before the discussion, Son Kyung-chul, Director of the Flood Safety Division, will first present the progress of the Seoul deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel project and the current status of flood prevention policies. He will introduce the progress of the Seoul deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel and the Sinwol deep underground rainwater tunnel, and explain the direction of Seoul's flood prevention policy.

Following this, four thematic discussions will take place, chaired by Lim Seong-eun, President of the Seoul Institute of Technology. Discussions will cover the status and utilization plans of Seoul's rainwater drainage tunnels over the past 10 years, operational improvement measures for flood control and disaster prevention facilities, and more. Since the deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel project may face many complaints due to budget issues and long construction periods, ways to actively utilize already established facilities such as rainwater storage tanks will be considered. Additionally, discussions will include the linkage with drainage pump stations in frequently flooded areas and the activation of non-structural measures at the urban level.

The event can be viewed by any citizen through the Seoul Institute of Technology's YouTube channel, and opinions can be shared via real-time chat. Lim Seong-eun, President of the Seoul Institute of Technology, said, "This emergency expert forum will be an opportunity not only to discuss the necessity of the drainage tunnel based on past and present records but also to explore reasonable and new alternatives together with experts."

Han Je-hyun, Deputy Mayor for Administration of Seoul, said, "This marks the beginning of a journey to find solutions to minimize casualties and property damage for citizens, such as the deep underground rainwater drainage tunnel, in response to the climate crisis our city faces," adding, "We ask for the interest and participation of citizens and experts from all fields."

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