State Affairs Committee Considers Strengthening Control of Heavy Rain Risk Areas and Establishing Integrated Platform

[Financial News] With damage occurring nationwide due to heavy rain, attention is drawn to the disaster response strategy of Lee Jae-myung's government. As the main state affairs tasks to be announced soon are expected to include 'strengthening the disaster response system', there is talk of specifically strengthening pre-control over risk areas.
According to Financial News coverage on the 20th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported to the State Affairs Committee last month on 'preemptive response measures to water disasters such as heavy rain in summer'.
This is a concretization of the 'strengthening public safety and disaster response' plan, which President Lee presented as one of the 10 major pledges during the last presidential election. President Lee stated in the pledge book, "We will introduce an integrated climate disaster prediction and monitoring system, including wildfires, heavy rain, and sinkhole accidents."
First, disaster-related ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Environment reported to the State Affairs Committee that they would categorize high-risk disaster areas. Human casualties during heavy rain mainly occur in lowlands, steep slopes, and riverbanks, and the plan is to systematically classify these risk areas to strengthen pre-control.
There is also talk of ways to improve access to disaster information. The plan is to provide control information to the public in real-time during disasters like heavy rain. Specifically, there is talk of providing a standardized disaster early warning integrated platform nationwide through cooperation between central and local governments. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety estimated the budget required to establish the disaster information integrated platform at about 130 billion won.
Evacuation standards for residents will also be standardized. The plan is to establish objective and quantitative evacuation standards based on weather indicators and on-site measurement information by the end of next year. Along with this, there is a plan to strengthen the responsibility of local governments by enacting the Basic Law on Resident Evacuation.
The plan also includes strengthening the support system so that vulnerable groups can evacuate quickly. The plan is to support one-on-one dedicated supporters for those who have difficulty evacuating, such as the elderly or disabled, and secure means of transportation through cooperation with the private sector.
It is expected that the disaster safety industry will be intensively nurtured to strengthen the disaster prediction system. The government plans to lead the development and dissemination of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in specific disaster fields such as floods or wildfires. It is known that related ministries reported to the State Affairs Committee that they would expand financial support for disaster safety companies and create a disaster industry fund.
Meanwhile, as heatwave damage continues every summer, there is interest in related responses. In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported that it would revise the crisis alert stage issuance criteria by reflecting the heatwave disaster weather criteria and subdivide the regional crisis alert stage issuance criteria.
President Lee has repeatedly emphasized that "the primary duty of the state is to protect the lives and safety of the people," so it is expected that the disaster response enhancement plan will be significantly included in the state affairs tasks. It is reported that the State Affairs Committee's Climate Energy Task Force (TF) also discussed ways to strengthen infrastructure for climate disaster preparedness.
A State Affairs Committee official said, "We received a work report related to disaster response from related ministries last month," and "the part about disaster response will, of course, be included in the state affairs tasks."

stand@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter