Seoul moves to earthquake-proof all public facilities by 2030

Social Affairs

Published: 08 Jan. 2024, 17:41

Seoul moves to earthquake-proof all public facilities by 2030

People make their way near a collapsed building due to an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

Seoul aims to complete seismic reinforcement of its major public facilities by 2030, an initiative seen in response to a powerful earthquake that struck the west coast of Japan last week.

According to the city government on Monday, it plans to implement earthquake-proof features in all 2,465 public facilities in the capital by 2030. That is five years before the central government’s goal to reinforce public facilities by 2035.

Around 95 percent of the city's facilities are currently earthquake-resistant.

This year, the city government plans to allocate approximately 20.2 billion won ($15 million) to reinforce 19 public facilities out of the 113 that need seismic reinforcement. The city government said seismic reinforcement on critical public facilities, including roads, water facilities and municipal hospitals, has been completed, but further improvements are required for other public facilities, such as railroads, public constructions and recreational facilities.

The city government will expand buildings subject to seismic capabilities assessment to enhance seismic features in private structures. It will also provide incentives for those undergoing anti-earthquake reinforcement, such as by easing the floor area ratio. As of Jan. 1, only around 20 percent of the 592,320 private structures in the capital were registered earthquake-resistant.

A sign shows a public library in Seoul is earthquake-resistant on Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on the same day said it will reinforce all 2,465 public facilities to withstand earthquakes. [NEWS1]

The city government also aims to ensure residents can quickly identify outdoor evacuation sites for earthquakes, including parks and parking lots. Approximately 1,500 evacuation sites have been designated as outdoor evacuation sites by the city government. The local government plans to install clear signage for guidance during disasters while assessing the conditions of these areas this year.

For prompt response to earthquakes, the capital has been implementing and operating seismic acceleration measurements for quake monitoring at 26 locations, including City Hall in downtown Seoul. Educational programs allowing people to experience earthquakes can be found in five places, including Dongjak District in southern Seoul. Additional installations are in district offices and bridges such as the Olympic Bridge.

The city government has been rolling out emergency measures in case natural disasters occur. In April, the metropolitan government hosted a joint drill with the capital’s 25 district offices simulating a 5.0-magnitude earthquake.

“The extent of damage from natural disasters, especially earthquakes, can vary depending on how much we are prepared,” said Kim Seong-bo, head of the city government’s disaster and safety management office.

“We will pursue a comprehensive emergency measures and earthquake prevention plan.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said last week it plans to raise the ratio of public facilities with earthquake-proof features to 87 percent from the current 76.5 percent by 2028. The central government aims to increase the ratio to 100 percent by 2035.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]