Sangmin Lee "Typhoon Approaching, National Emergency Situation"

Holding of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting

Lee Sang-min, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), said regarding the northward approach of Typhoon 'Khanun,' "We must consider this a national emergency and respond accordingly."

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is delivering opening remarks at the "Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting for Typhoon Khanun's Approach" held on the 9th at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Seoul Office Building. Photo by Ministry of the Interior and Safety

On the 9th, at the CDSCH meeting attended by 18 related ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, Minister Lee stated, "We must thoroughly prepare to ensure that not a single life is lost."

The CDSCH plans to prioritize minimizing casualties and urged city, county, and district heads to actively issue evacuation orders and enforce mandatory evacuations. They also emphasized the need to pre-inspect underground spaces at risk of casualties and thoroughly monitor hazardous areas such as landslide-prone zones. Additionally, metropolitan and provincial governments, as well as city, county, and district situation rooms, were urged to maintain a 24-hour emergency duty system until the typhoon situation ends.

Furthermore, areas expected to be dangerous, such as riverside walking paths, coastal roads, and underground passages, will be controlled until the typhoon completely passes. To minimize population movement during the typhoon, it was recommended to adjust the commuting hours of employees except those engaged in disaster response duties.

Minister Lee said, "Typhoon 'Khanun' is moving slowly and bringing heavy rainfall, raising significant concerns about flooding in low-lying areas nationwide, landslides, and slope collapses," and urged, "All local governments and related agencies should mobilize available personnel and resources to fully focus on typhoon response. Each agency should review last year's typhoon and this year's heavy rain response processes and prepare thoroughly to ensure that not a single life is lost."

He added, "Since heavy rainfall is expected from the early morning hours when the typhoon passes through the southern coast, each local government should closely cooperate with the police and fire departments to complete the evacuation of residents in dangerous areas before the typhoon makes landfall," and "I hope the public will also cooperate with the mindset that safety is the top priority."

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