Kim Gil-young, floor leader of the People Power Party caucus at the Seoul Metropolitan Council, visited the integrated Ulchi CPX command center to inspect Seoul's emergency preparedness and crisis response systems. The on-site visit was aimed at underscoring the need to build response capacity — through repeated drills — that can function swiftly when a real crisis strikes.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Kim visited the "2026 Ulchi CPX Integrated Command Center," set up in the below-ground floors of the new Seoul City Hall annex, on Tuesday.
During the visit, Kim received a briefing from officials on the progress of the Ulchi CPX exercise and the city's emergency response framework, and reviewed the state of the drills. He also exchanged views with command center staff on ways to strengthen the effectiveness of the crisis response system and encouraged employees taking part in the exercise.
The Ulchi CPX is a national exercise designed to test crisis management capabilities so that the government, local authorities and relevant agencies can respond swiftly and systematically in the event of a national emergency. Kim noted that densely populated major cities like Seoul — with their concentration of residents and critical infrastructure — require close inter-agency coordination and on-the-ground response capacity.
"The most fundamental foundation for letting citizens go about their daily lives with peace of mind, amid a rapidly shifting security environment, is an airtight emergency preparedness posture," Kim said. He added that the Ulchi CPX "must not stop at being a formality" but should serve as an opportunity to assess and strengthen response capacity that can operate quickly and accurately in an actual crisis.
Kim also said that shortcomings identified during the exercise should not be treated as a one-time check. He argued that a genuinely effective preparedness system — one that protects citizens — can only be built by addressing deficiencies based on the drill results and incorporating the necessary measures into policy and budget decisions.
"The People Power Party caucus at the Seoul Metropolitan Council is focused on protecting the ordinary, precious daily lives of citizens," he said. "We will spare no support or cooperation at the council level to ensure that the improvements identified through this exercise are faithfully translated into policies and budgets that make a real difference in people's lives."
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
