Seocho-gu Establishes 'Crowd Density Safety Accident Response Manual'

[Seoul District News] Seocho-gu Prepares Response Manual for Unspecified Events and Crowd-Dense Gatherings on the 17th; Deploys Safety Personnel in Major Congested Areas like Gangnam Station, Express Bus Terminal, Sadang Station, Gyodae Station, and Bangbae Station & Monitors Risk Situations via Seocho Smart Control Center CCTV for Prompt Reporting and Prevention of Safety Accidents

Jeon Seong-su, Seocho District Mayor

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) established the "Crowd Density Safety Accident Response Manual" on the 17th to ensure close cooperation among safety-related agencies in response to events with unspecified hosts or crowd-dense gatherings.

Following the Itaewon tragedy, Seocho-gu collaborated with local police and the Autonomous Crime Prevention Association to complete the manual to prevent such unforeseen accidents from happening again. Special focus was placed on preparing comprehensive and detailed measures as several days expected to attract large crowds, such as the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), World Cup, Christmas, and year-end holidays, are approaching consecutively.

The newly established "Crowd Density Safety Accident Response Manual" involves deploying safety personnel in cooperation with the police and Autonomous Crime Prevention Association to patrol and stand by in major congested areas of Seocho-gu, including Gangnam Station, Express Bus Terminal, Sadang Station, Gyodae Station, and Bangbae Station.

Emergency response levels based on crowd density situations are divided into three stages: ▲Level 1 Caution (CCTV monitoring, on-site patrol) ▲Level 2 Alert (staff dispatched on-site, maintaining safe distance among crowds) ▲Level 3 Severe (notification to 112 and 119 emergency services, disaster message issuance), enabling phased responses to similar situations.

The district plans to prevent safety accidents by real-time monitoring of CCTV at congested areas through the Seocho Smart Center, promptly reporting and disseminating information upon detection of dangerous situations. In emergencies, the system directly communicates with the District Office’s Safety and Urban Affairs Division and the 112 and 119 comprehensive control rooms.

Additionally, safety personnel deployed on-site will control crowd density and guide safe evacuation by assisting pedestrians. In particular, on narrow roads less than 4 meters wide, one-way traffic measures will be implemented to control pedestrian flow. Emergency evacuation announcements will also be made using the crime prevention CCTV control speakers.

Seocho-gu will conduct a special on-site inspection of densely populated areas on the 17th. From 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM, about 100 safety personnel including district and neighborhood office staff and police officers will be deployed to five crowded locations: Gangnam Station, Sadang Station, Gyodae Station, Bangbae Station, and the Express Bus Terminal area.

Especially around Gangnam Station, where the largest crowds are expected immediately after the CSAT, a special safety team of 50 members including police and district office staff, along with 4 patrol cars and 8 police officers, will be on emergency standby.

All inspection team members will wear yellow vests and carry light batons to monitor crowd density. When crowds gather, they will use loudspeakers to guide orderly conduct. In severe cases, crowd dispersal will be encouraged through CCTV control speakers. Currently, 86 CCTV cameras at 28 locations monitor Gangnam Station, with 6 control speakers installed.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, “Accidents can occur unexpectedly, so preventive measures are crucial. Protecting the safety and lives of our residents is our top priority. We will do our utmost to prevent safety accidents through this manual and ensure the protection and safety of our citizens.”

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