Fire at Sogong-dong Before BTS Concert... Government to Conduct Fire Safety Inspections at Accommodation Facilities

Emergency Safety Inspections at 5,481 Facilities
Capsule-Type Accommodations to Undergo Special Fire Inspections

The National Fire Agency will conduct emergency safety inspections at 5,481 lodging facilities and similar establishments in Seoul for four days, from March 16 to March 19.

Fire at lodging facility in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Hojoong Yoon made this decision after receiving a report from Seungryong Kim, Acting Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, regarding the response to the fire at a lodging facility in Sogong-dong, Seoul, that occurred on March 14.

Minister Yoon stated, "With the BTS comeback concert and other events, a large influx of visitors is expected throughout Seoul," adding, "We will conduct thorough fire safety inspections of lodging facilities and strengthen fire safety education for those responsible."

The National Fire Agency will carry out a four-day emergency safety inspection at 5,481 lodging facilities and similar establishments in Seoul from March 16 to March 19, proactively checking for fire hazards and reinforcing safety management.

The inspection targets include 4,904 urban guesthouses for foreign tourists, 381 hanok experience establishments, and 151 lodging facilities in Jongno-gu and Jung-gu. Among these, 45 facilities are equipped with capsule-style sleeping accommodations, similar to those involved in the recent fire incident.

For urban guesthouses for foreign tourists and hanok experience establishments, on-site inspections will be conducted to check fire detectors and related equipment. In addition, fire safety education will be provided to those responsible, and fire prevention notices will be distributed. In particular, emergency special fire inspections will be conducted at lodging facilities in Jongno-gu and Jung-gu, as well as all capsule-type facilities throughout Seoul, where large numbers of visitors are expected.

The inspections will cover not only the status of evacuation routes—such as neglected or disabled fire facilities, open fire doors, and the presence of objects in evacuation stairways, corridors, and passageways—but also evacuation pathways and initial response systems.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, together with the National Fire Agency, local governments, and relevant agencies such as the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation and Korea Gas Safety Corporation, will jointly conduct sample inspections of lodging facilities with dense, narrow structures, such as capsule-type accommodations, where there is a high risk of rapid fire spread.

Once the results of the National Fire Agency's special inspections are available, the government plans to work with related agencies, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, to analyze problems in the management and fire safety systems of lodging facilities and pursue institutional improvements.

Along with these emergency safety inspections, the government will ensure strict safety management on the day of the BTS comeback concert as well. Minister Yoon said, "As the number of domestic and foreign visitors to Seoul is expected to surge ahead of the large-scale K-Pop concert, the government will carry out safety inspections swiftly and thoroughly to create an environment where everyone can stay with peace of mind."

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