Country comes to a standstill after civil defense drill siren sets off

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Country comes to a standstill after civil defense drill siren sets off

Published: 23 Aug. 2023, 17:52 Updated: 23 Aug. 2023, 18:38

Students at Jeongja Elementary School in Sunwon evacuates from class while covering their heads with backpacks as the siren from the civil defense drill set off at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The country came to a standstill including 216 roads that were locked down when the first full-scale civil defense drill in six years was set off for 20 minutes. [YONHAP]

On Wednesday, with the siren setting off at 2:00 p.m., the streets were cleared, and people were evacuated, whether they were in office buildings or schools, for the first full-scale civil defense drill in six years.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety's Civil Defense Alert Control Center warned citizens to immediately evacuate to nearby shelters or basements and asked them to follow emergency orders broadcast through the radio.

Around 216 roads, including downtown Seoul, were locked down, and public transportation such as buses was halted.

The military set up spike strips on bridges.

Civil servants at the government complex in downtown Seoul crowds a basement after the civil defense exercise siren went off at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Government employees working at the government complex in downtown Seoul were rushed to the basement, using stairs for evacuation.

Some participants learned how to wear gas masks, while others practiced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on dummies.

The nationwide drill conducted on Wednesday was aimed at simulating possible air raids or missile attacks from North Korea. This exercise is separate from civilian drills held for natural disasters like earthquakes or fires.

The only areas exempted from the drill were 57 regions in Sejong, North Chungcheong, and North Gyeongsang. These regions were heavily affected by heavy downpours over the last two months and were designated as special disaster zones by the government.

In some areas, daily activities resumed during the 20-minute exercise.

A police officer near Gongneung Station in Nowon District restricting cars and buses from moving after the civil defense exercise siren went off on Wednsesday. [YONHAP]

On May 16, the government conducted a civil defense drill, but it was limited to government institutions and schools.

The drill took place after President Yoon Suk Yeol in January emphasized the need to be prepared for any situation and to move away from a sense of peace relying solely on the goodwill of North Korea. He implied that such a situation existed during his predecessor Moon Jae-in's term.

In May, during a cabinet meeting, Yoon stressed the absence of civilian defense exercises due to the previous government's reliance on what he called "fake" peace.

BY LEE HO-JEONG, NA UN-CHAE [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]