Chairman Kim Hyun-ki of Seoul Metropolitan Council Attends Han River Police New Patrol Boat Launch Ceremony

Chairman Kim Hyun-ki: "Patrol Boats Are the 'Feet' of the Hangang Police Unit... Actively Investing in Replacing Patrol Boats and Upgrading Aging Facilities and Equipment"

Kim Hyun-gi, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, attended the Han River Police Unit’s ‘New Patrol Boat Launch Ceremony’ held at the Mangwon Base Dock of the Han River Police Unit on the morning of the 19th.

At the event, Chairman Kim stated that starting with the replacement of the new patrol boats, budget support will continue to be provided to ensure the rapid improvement of the Han River Police Unit’s aging facilities and equipment.

The launch ceremony was held following the completion of the construction of two new patrol boats (Nos. 105 and 106) to replace the aging patrol boats of the Han River Police Unit, a project that began in April of last year.

About 30 people attended the event, including Chairman Kim Hyun-gi, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Seoul Police Chief Cho Ji-ho. Attendees boarded the patrol boats and took a test ride departing from the Mangwon dock, circling around Mapo Bridge.

Patrol boats are crucial for securing the golden time in water rescue incidents on the Han River, but with an average service life exceeding 13 years, the need for replacement has been strongly raised. The Seoul Metropolitan Council approved a budget of 1.26 billion KRW (630 million KRW per boat) last December to prioritize replacing two small patrol boats with medium-sized ones.

The newly replaced patrol boats are 9.5 meters long and weigh 4.2 tons, with engine power increased by 20% from the previous 500 horsepower to 600 horsepower. The space for carrying various rescue equipment has been expanded by 1.6 times, and heating and cooling systems have been installed.

The two newly constructed patrol boats will be assigned to the Mangwon and Ichon centers respectively and will begin operation next month.

Chairman Kim Hyun-gi emphasized, “It is truly the season of the Han River. As the Great Han River Project, including the River Bus service starting in September, is set to be fully launched, the role of the hidden heroes of the Han River Police Unit, who work on the front lines of citizen safety, becomes even more important.”

He added, “In particular, the patrol boats are the ‘feet’ of the Han River Police Unit, patrolling the Han River daily, which is as long as a marathon full course (42.195 km). The Seoul Metropolitan Council will spare no legislative and financial support to actively improve the aging facilities and equipment of the Han River Police Unit, with the mindset of protecting the Han River Police Unit that protects our citizens.”

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