Seocho-gu Strengthens Installation of Water Barriers in Apartment Complexes

[Seoul District News] Water Barrier Installation Standards Applied from September for New Apartment Buildings in Seocho-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] From September, the installation standards for flood barriers will also apply to newly constructed multi-family housing in Seocho-gu.

The targets include apartments, villas, multi-family, and row houses, and the installation of flood barriers will be double-checked during building permits and occupancy approvals.

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced on the 12th that it has significantly strengthened the "Flood Barrier Installation Standards within Buildings" since September 14 to enhance the safety of residents and minimize damage caused by flooding.

Additionally, the district recommended installing automatic flood barriers, which have superior flood prevention functions compared to manual ones, for large buildings (total floor area over 10,000㎡) or areas near Gangnam Station that are prone to frequent flooding.

Furthermore, the district proposed amendments to the Building Management Act and the Building Act to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 16th of last month to establish legal grounds for sanctions if flood barriers are not installed.

Seocho-gu was the first nationwide to establish "Flood Barrier Installation Standards within Buildings" in 2011; however, at that time, multi-family housing such as apartments were excluded from the installation targets. Also, buildings that installed flood barriers often failed in maintenance or mostly used manual types that could not withstand strong water pressure properly.

Mayor Jeon Seong-su of Seocho-gu said, "I believe that when it comes to the safety and lives of the people, we must prepare to an extent that may seem excessive," adding, "Starting with this strengthening of flood barrier installation, we will do our best to minimize flood damage to buildings in the district."

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