Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Ministry of Interior and Safety's disaster and safety management bureau, to chair safety review meeting and conduct on-site inspection on the day of the festival

A scene from the Busan Fireworks Festival [Yonhap]
A scene from the Busan Fireworks Festival [Yonhap]

The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Friday that it will chair a safety coordination meeting among relevant agencies at Gwangalli Beach in Busan on Saturday, ahead of the 21st Busan Fireworks Festival, and inspect safety management conditions at the festival site.

The Busan Fireworks Festival, one of South Korea's premier autumn festivals, draws more than 1 million domestic and international visitors each year. This year's event runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Gwangalli area.

Authorities expect an especially large crowd this year, with more than 8,000 paid seats having been sold overseas, prompting calls for thorough safety management to handle the influx of foreign visitors.

In response, the ministry will conduct a joint inspection with the city of Busan, police, fire department and coast guard covering crowd management, traffic control, emergency rescue and facility safety. Any hazards identified during the inspection are to be addressed before the festival begins.

To that end, Kim Gwang-yong, head of the ministry's disaster and safety management bureau, will chair a safety review meeting at the on-site operations center Saturday afternoon and conduct a final check of each agency's preparations.

The meeting will focus on crowd management from entry to post-event dispersal, subway and vehicle traffic control, the deployment of safety personnel, and emergency patient transport procedures.

Officials will also review multilingual guidance and interpretation systems to ensure foreign visitors can enjoy the festival safely and return home without incident.

Following the meeting, the on-site inspection will cover the operation of aerial observation vehicles, LED crowd-guidance display vehicles, tall-officer units, emergency medical booths and ambulance routes, as well as words of encouragement for on-site staff.

Maritime safety measures by the coast guard will also be reviewed, including the designation of viewing zones, the establishment of restricted and safety areas, and the deployment of patrol vessels to prevent accidents involving international passenger ships and cruise boats watching the fireworks from the water.

"The government will do its utmost to ensure on-site safety so that every visitor to the Busan Fireworks Festival can go home with happy memories," Kim said. "We ask the public to cooperate fully with on-site safety personnel so we can all enjoy a safe festival together."


thlee@heraldcorp.com