Government Strengthens Typhoon 'Hinnamno' Response Measures and Nuclear Power Plant Inspections

Vice Minister Park Il-jun Inspects Ulsan Thermal Power Plant... In Response to Typhoon 'Hinnamdo'
Ministry of Industry Forms 'Emergency Disaster Response Team'... KHNP Also Conducts Emergency Nuclear Plant Inspection

Park Il-jun, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, visited the Korea East-West Power Ulsan Thermal Power Plant located in Ulsan on the 3rd to inspect the typhoon preparedness measures.
[Photo by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The government is strengthening inspections of power plants in preparation for Typhoon No. 11 'Hinnamnor.'

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Vice Minister Park Il-jun visited the Korea East-West Power Ulsan Thermal Power Plant located in Ulsan on the afternoon of the 3rd to check the typhoon preparedness in response to the northward movement of Hinnamnor. The Ulsan Thermal Power Plant is a major energy facility in the Gyeongnam region, where the Korea Meteorological Administration predicts the greatest damage along Hinnamnor's path. Vice Minister Park said, "We have entered a 24-hour emergency response system including real-time safety monitoring and inspection activities for major industrial and energy facilities such as nuclear power, electricity, and oil and gas."

Cheon Young-gil, Director of the Energy Industry Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will visit the Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan on the 5th. This is a follow-up measure after the ministry urgently formed the 'Industry and Energy Emergency Disaster Response Team' led by Vice Minister Park on the 2nd in preparation for Hinnamnor's northward approach. Minister Lee Chang-yang instructed ministry staff and related public institutions to thoroughly inspect typhoon vulnerabilities and prepare emergency recovery and response measures in case of emergencies. Minister Lee said, "Please strengthen safety checks and damage response for power generation and transmission facilities, as well as safety preparations for renewable energy facilities such as mountain solar power."

Accordingly, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power also launched an emergency inspection to prepare for nuclear power plant damage caused by Hinnamnor's approach. Hwang Ju-ho, President of KHNP, chaired a 'Typhoon Preparedness Situation Check Meeting' held via video conference with nuclear power plant headquarters and plant managers nationwide the day before, ordering real-time monitoring of power generation status to prepare for equipment damage. President Hwang said, "We must carefully monitor damage to local residents even after the typhoon has passed."

Lim Seung-cheol, Secretary General of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, is presiding over a video conference on the 2nd at the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission's Disaster Prevention Situation Room to check the preparedness of nuclear facilities in relation to Typhoon No. 11 'Hinnamnor' approaching.
[Photo by Nuclear Safety and Security Commission]

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission also strengthened its response to Hinnamnor. The NSSC held a situation check meeting on preparedness for nuclear facilities, including nuclear power plants and low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facilities, chaired by Secretary-General Lim Seung-cheol the day before. The meeting was attended via video conference by NSSC regional offices installed at five nuclear power plants including Kori, Wolsong, and Hanbit, as well as safety regulatory agencies such as the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety and KHNP. Secretary-General Lim reviewed the results of the special summer natural disaster inspection conducted in July and checked the preparedness considering the characteristics of the approaching Hinnamnor.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has entered emergency duty in preparation for Hinnamnor. Minister Lee Jeong-sik instructed industrial safety supervisors at local employment and labor offices the day before to conduct emergency duty from the 4th until Korea is out of Hinnamnor's influence zone. This decision was made based on the judgment that safety inspections at major workplaces such as large-scale construction sites, shipyards, and chemical plants must be strengthened to prevent industrial accidents caused by Hinnamnor. Minister Lee said, "This typhoon is an ultra-powerful typhoon, so proactive safety measures such as preventing crane overturning must be taken beyond passive measures like work stoppage to prevent damage," adding, "We expect major companies to conduct autonomous and proactive safety inspections in preparation for this typhoon."

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