Gyeonggi Province to Implement "Natural Disaster Response Period" Until March 15 Next Year

Gyeonggi Province has designated the period from November 15 of this year to March 15 of next year as the "Natural Disaster Response Period" and will begin full-scale preparations for heavy snowfall and cold waves.

This year's measures focus on: ▲ strengthening on-site response capabilities ▲ enhancing snow removal capacity to address the climate crisis ▲ establishing systematic control and evacuation procedures to ensure residents' safety ▲ increasing residents' satisfaction with disaster recovery support systems ▲ expanding protection systems for vulnerable groups, as well as increasing the number of cold wave shelters and mitigation facilities.

Gyeonggi Province will first enhance its field-oriented response to heavy snowfall. By adding an "emergency preparedness" work stage even for weather forecasts below special warning levels, the province aims to address the increasing variability in weather conditions. When Emergency Level 1 is declared in each city and county, over 3,400 municipal government officials will be dispatched directly to local towns and districts to support not only snow removal but also control and evacuation efforts for hazardous facilities and other disaster response activities.

The "Gyeonggi Province 360° Smart Video Center" will also be actively utilized again this year. By leveraging the video center, which provides access to approximately 180,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the province, authorities can immediately monitor snowfall conditions and snow removal operations, minimizing blind spots in heavy snow response. Additionally, about 1,500 disaster-prone areas will be grouped by type to establish a focused monitoring system, enabling tailored on-site responses to heavy snowfall.

Snow removal capabilities are also being strengthened to prepare for unprecedented snowfall. In addition to installing road heating systems, the province has secured 214,000 tons of snow removal agents, a 43% increase from the previous year, and approximately 8,800 pieces of snow removal equipment, a 39% increase from last year. In particular, to prevent inconvenience to residents due to shortages of snow removal agents in certain areas during heavy snowfall, the province has stockpiled 10,000 tons of snow removal agents that can be supplied directly within two hours.

A salt-spreading vehicle is spraying salt on the road. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

Alongside these efforts, the province will systematize control and evacuation procedures to prevent casualties. In the event of unavoidable damage, the "Special Support Zone" system will be used to expand recovery funding for cities and counties that suffer significant actual damage, beyond the existing support targets.

Preparations for cold waves are also underway. The number of cold wave shelters will be increased from 7,934 last year to 7,962 this year, an addition of 28 shelters, and support will be provided for inspecting and repairing heating equipment in these shelters. In advance, the number of urban cold wave mitigation facilities, such as windbreak installations and heated benches, has also been expanded from 8,052 to 8,476 locations.

In addition, the province will continue to strengthen measures for vulnerable groups at high risk of cold-related injuries and will actively promote public safety guidelines through resident-focused channels such as G-Bus TV and apartment media boards.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon emphasized, "Even during winter heavy snowfall or cold waves, we will adhere to the principle of 'over-preparedness,' ensuring thorough preemptive measures and swift on-site response to protect the lives and property of our residents."

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