Yoon Orders "Do Not Let Your Guard Down, Stay Alert"... Also Monitoring POSCO Fire Situation

Video Conference at 7:25 AM with Minister of the Interior and Safety and Korea Meteorological Administration Chief at National Crisis Management Center
President Yoon Also Monitoring POSCO Fire Situation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol received reports on flood warnings and inundation damage on the 6th and urged, "Since the current high tide coincides with the time when seawater levels are rising, raising concerns about river flooding and other damages, please remain vigilant and pay close attention without letting your guard down."

On the same day, when a fire broke out at the POSCO steelworks in Pohang in the morning, President Yoon immediately held a meeting and received a report on the current situation.

At 7:25 a.m. that day, President Yoon held a video conference at the National Crisis Management Center, an underground bunker of the Yongsan Presidential Office, regarding the response to Typhoon No. 11 'Hinnamnor,' with Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min and Korea Meteorological Administration Chief Yoo Hee-dong, according to a briefing by Senior Secretary for Public Relations Kim Eun-hye.

Senior Secretary Kim said, "Minister Lee reported that although residents experienced some inconvenience, disaster text messages were sent frequently last night to guide residents to evacuate from areas at risk of flooding and other damages."

There was also a report of evacuating about 200 residents from the danger zone in Jenae-ri village, Daesong-myeon, southern Pohang, to a nearby school due to the threat of flooding. President Yoon emphasized, "If it is judged that even one resident is at risk, the government should take swift action ahead of time," and urged, "Please focus more on residents' safety."

He particularly instructed that since areas at risk of landslides are likely to be remote and isolated villages, and evacuation of the elderly and vulnerable may not proceed smoothly, rescue personnel should be prepared to personally assist and evacuate them.

Senior Secretary Kim explained that currently, seven rapid response units and fifteen search and rescue units from the military are active, and among them, the Marine Corps, organized as a rapid response unit, was dispatched to the Pohang area and helped rescue residents.

He added, "Although Hinnamnor has moved out to the East Sea, it is still too early to be complacent," emphasizing, "This is a time to manage damage situations and provide prompt support in the right places."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon is also receiving reports on the situation at the POSCO Pohang Steelworks, where a large fire broke out as the typhoon passed through the southern Korean Peninsula. According to POSCO, around 7:30 a.m. that day, multiple simultaneous fires broke out at several locations within the POSCO Pohang Steelworks in Nam-gu, Pohang, including the Stainless Steel (STS) No. 2 Steelmaking and No. 2 Hot Rolling Plant.

A senior official from the Presidential Office explained that President Yoon ended a Q&A session with reporters midway after having a meal at the staff cafeteria that morning and visiting the press room, due to the fire report from the Pohang Steelworks.

Meanwhile, President Yoon did not return home the previous night and worked overnight at the Yongsan Presidential Office. He presided over meetings frequently while moving between his office and the National Crisis Management Center.

On the previous day, from 3:30 p.m. for 50 minutes, he made calls to local government heads and related agency chiefs, urging thorough preparedness, and held a meeting at his office at 9:30 p.m. Then, at 11:40 p.m., he watched the typhoon landing situation through live CCTV footage from Jeju at the Crisis Management Center and received a video report from Korea Meteorological Administration Chief Yoo Hee-dong.

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