Gwanak-gu Takes Full Responsibility for Flood and Wind Disaster Safety Zones... Gwangjin-gu Conducts Intensive Safety Inspections at 90 National Safety Transition Sites

[Seoul District News] Gwanak-gu Secures Additional Budget of 800 Million KRW for Flood Prevention Facilities Including Underground Housing Water Barriers and Indoor Drainage; Reinspection and Emergency Dredging of 18,717 Rainwater Inlets in Affected Areas... Gwangjin-gu Inspects Multi-use Facilities Including Jayang Traditional Market, Dong Seoul Terminal, and Steep Slopes

Construction workers installing the water barrier panels

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] On the 8th of last month, heavy rainstorms in the metropolitan area caused massive flooding damage. The water bombs and massive typhoons have revealed that no place can be considered a disaster-safe zone anymore due to abnormal climate changes.

Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) is making every effort to establish preventive measures to make Gwanak-gu safe from unexpected wind and flood disasters.

First, an additional 800 million KRW from city and district disaster management funds has been secured to install flood prevention facilities in semi-basement and low-lying houses, which suffered the most flooding damage.

The district has already invested a total budget of 800 million KRW to complete or proceed with free installation of flood prevention facilities (indoor backflow preventers, water barriers) in 1,269 low-lying and underground households in the area.

In particular, interest in installing flood prevention facilities surged after this heavy rainstorm, with over 700 households applying for additional installations, prompting the district to provide additional support for prompt assistance to these households.

Indoor backflow preventers are devices installed on sinks, washbasins, toilets, etc., to prevent sewage from backing up when the water level in public sewage pipes rises higher than usual during heavy rain. Water barriers are devices installed at low-threshold underground entrances and windows to prevent surface water inflow; they are detachable so users can attach them during heavy rain.

The district plans to expand various measures to minimize flood damage, such as installing double doors and operable security windows, raising the height of water barriers, and expanding flood prevention facilities to commercial areas.

With an additional budget of 300 million KRW, the district conducted re-inspections and emergency dredging of 18,717 rainwater inlets, focusing on low-lying and flood-prone areas.

A district official said, “Despite intensive dredging work, cigarette butts and trash quickly accumulate. To prevent flood damage, it is crucial for citizens to regularly clean nearby rainwater inlets and refrain from littering.”

Additionally, the district has actively promoted subscribing to wind and flood disaster insurance so that residents can receive practical compensation for property damage caused by unexpected wind and flood disasters.

Wind and flood disaster insurance is a policy insurance operated by private insurance companies and recommended by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to support property damage caused by natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, heavy snow, and earthquakes.

Since 70-92% of the insurance premium is subsidized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Gwanak-gu, the actual premium burden for subscribers is not high. Residents wishing to subscribe can inquire at their local community service centers, district office, or six private insurance companies selling the wind and flood disaster insurance.

In particular, the district fully subsidizes the self-pay insurance premiums for basic livelihood security recipients and lower-income groups when subscribing through the district office and community service centers.

To facilitate a swift return to daily life after flood damage, the district has completed payments of approximately 2.7 billion KRW in ‘Living Stability Support Funds’ of up to 2.5 million KRW each to 1,918 owners of flood-damaged houses. The ‘Living Stability Support Fund,’ prepared with the district’s own resources to stabilize the lives of flood-affected households, has extended the application deadline to the 30th for owners who have not yet applied.

District Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “Although significant damage occurred due to record-breaking heavy rain, we are doing our best to help residents return to their daily lives as soon as possible. We will continue to implement various policies that minimize flood damage and provide practical assistance to residents.”

Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) will conduct safety inspections at a total of 90 locations by October 14 during the ‘2022 National Safety Transformation Intensive Safety Inspection’ period (formerly known as the National Safety Diagnosis).

Started in 2015, the ‘National Safety Transformation Intensive Safety Inspection’ is a nationwide activity aimed at preventing disasters by intensively inspecting the safety status and risk factors of major facilities across society.

In particular, this intensive safety inspection is conducted as a public-private joint inspection involving private experts in fields such as architecture, firefighting, gas, and electricity to enhance the effectiveness and professionalism of safety management.

To prepare for heavy rain in early August, the district first inspected 12 steep slopes and conducted safety inspections of 16 multi-use facilities such as Jayang Traditional Market and Dongseoul Terminal before the Chuseok holiday. On September 5, to prevent flood damage, Gwangjin District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho personally visited and inspected the Guui and Junggok rainwater pumping stations.

Until October 14, inspections will be conducted according to the type and characteristics of facilities under jurisdiction. Any risks found during inspections will be promptly addressed. Issues that can be corrected on-site will be immediately rectified, and additional detailed safety inspections will be quickly pursued for matters requiring repair and reinforcement.

Gwangjin District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said, “Safety is the top priority. We will do our best to actively identify improvements to prevent safety accidents and ensure prompt follow-up actions.”

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