District mayor visits rainwater pumping station, underground road and "jjokbangchon" (single-room housing district) to assess heatwave and heavy-rain readiness; Kim Kyung-dae vows to pursue both future growth and resident safety
Kim Kyung-dae, the district mayor of Seoul's Yongsan-gu, made a series of visits to disaster safety sites on Friday to assess the district's preparedness for summer heatwaves and heavy rainfall.
The previous day, Kim had toured major development project sites — including the Hannam District 3 zone, Yongsan Park and the Yongsan International Business District — in his first field outing as district mayor under the ninth term of local self-governance. That day's itinerary shifted focus to disaster safety, reflecting Kim's stated governing priorities of "development and safety" as the twin pillars of his administration, with the field inspections continuing into their second consecutive day.
Kim visited four sites in succession: the Hannam Rainwater Pumping Station, a smart cooling shelter in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Yongsan Senior Welfare Center, the Sinyongsan Underground Road and the Seoul Station jjokbangchon, a district of cramped single-room dwellings. He reviewed the operational status of facilities prepared for heavy rain and extreme heat, and examined measures to protect vulnerable residents.
At the Hannam Rainwater Pumping Station, Kim checked the flood-response system and equipment readiness for flood-prone areas. He stressed the importance of proactive preparation ahead of heavy downpours and urged staff to ensure they could respond swiftly in an emergency.
He then stopped at the smart cooling shelter outside the Yongsan Senior Welfare Center to review its operations as a heatwave-relief facility. After inspecting conditions on the ground, Kim told staff to "manage the shelter with care so that residents can receive real, practical help even in extreme heat."
At the Sinyongsan Underground Road, Kim reviewed flood-risk management and emergency response protocols. "As localized heavy rain is becoming more frequent, advance inspection and rapid response are more important than ever for disaster-prone facilities like underground roads," he said. "Please do everything possible to detect warning signs early and prevent casualties."
At the Seoul Station jjokbangchon, Kim toured the area alongside Yoo Ho-yeon, director of the Seoul Station Jjokbang Counseling Center, and reviewed heatwave protection measures for vulnerable residents. He checked the distribution of cooling supplies and food, the operation of heat-relief shelters, and took time to encourage Yongsan-gu outreach workers who counsel homeless people on the streets.
"Prevention is far more important than responding after the fact," Kim said. "Protecting the lives and safety of our residents from heavy rain and extreme heat is the most fundamental duty of this district government. I will personally examine risk factors in the field and respond proactively so that there are no gaps whatsoever."
"Yesterday I inspected development sites for Yongsan's future, and today I visited disaster safety sites that protect residents' daily lives," he added. "The ninth-term Yongsan district government will make development and safety its top priorities, and will pursue both building future growth engines and protecting the lives and safety of our residents without wavering."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
