Gangdong-gu to Conduct 'Disaster Response Safe Korea Drill' on 13th Simulating Tunnel Multi-Vehicle Collision Accident

Gangdong-gu and Korea Expressway Corporation Co-host, Participation of 29 Related Organizations and Groups

2023 Gangdong-gu Safety Korea Training in progress. Provided by Gangdong-gu.

Seoul Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Su-hee) announced on the 4th that it will conduct the '2024 Disaster Response Safe Korea Drill' on the 13th of this month at the Godeok Tunnel (entry from Pocheon to Sejong direction) on the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway, simulating a multi-vehicle collision accident.

This year's drill, jointly hosted by Gangdong-gu and Korea Expressway Corporation, will simulate a collision involving about 20 vehicles inside and outside the tunnel caused by winter road icing, an electric vehicle fire, and vehicle entrapment situations. A total of 29 related organizations and groups, including Gangdong-gu Office, Gangdong Police Station, Gangdong Public Health Center, Army Unit 6019, and Korea Expressway Corporation, will participate in the drill to closely replicate a real situation.

Since the Gangdong-gu section of the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway, scheduled to open at the end of this year, is the only section that crosses the Han River bridge and enters a tunnel, this drill simulating accidents caused by winter road icing is expected to have a practical effect in strengthening the region's disaster response capabilities.

The district organized a drill planning team composed of practical departments and related agencies, and has been thoroughly preparing for the drill by conducting site inspections, planning meetings, and discussion drills. To incorporate professional and diverse perspectives into the preparation and planning, planning meetings were also held with a team of drill experts and a public experience group.

On the day of the drill, depending on the situation, the district will activate the Regional Disaster Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and simultaneously establish an on-site integrated support headquarters, with the district mayor and deputy mayor in command respectively, to ensure rapid on-site response, emergency rescue, damage support, and on-site recovery are carried out organically with related agencies.

Based on the drill results, the district plans to develop a local government 'Expressway Tunnel Accident Response Manual' to strengthen the organic cooperation system among disaster response agencies and enhance time-based response capabilities from disaster occurrence to recovery and restoration.

District Mayor Lee Su-hee said, "Every year, we solidify cooperation with disaster response agencies through drills that are no different from real situations," adding, "We will maintain the highest capabilities to build a system that can effectively respond to disasters and ensure a safe Gangdong."

2024 Gangdong-gu Safety Korea Training Accident Site (Draft). Provided by Gangdong-gu.

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