Ahead of Chuseok, Seoul’s Autonomous Districts Put Their “Safety Nets” into Full Operation

[Financial News] Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, Seoul’s autonomous districts will conduct preliminary inspections to prevent safety accidents. They have expanded the scope of inspections beyond crowded areas, performance venues and movie theaters to include vehicles embarking on long-distance trips to their hometowns. The districts will also operate 24-hour disaster response and emergency medical care systems to help residents spend a safe holiday.
Gangseo District said on the 17th that it would implement comprehensive Chuseok measures for six days, from the 23rd to the 28th. During the holiday, a 24-hour comprehensive situation room and response teams for different sectors will operate to handle emergencies. This year, the district will use Seoul’s real-time urban data to continuously monitor congestion in three crowded areas: the vicinity of Magongnaru Station, the area around Balsan Station and Gimpo International Airport. If signs of danger are detected, it will share information with relevant agencies and respond at the scene. The district will also inspect demolition sites within its jurisdiction. If serious hazards are found, work will be halted and allowed to resume only after safety measures are completed.
An emergency medical care system will also operate to prevent gaps in medical services. The district will designate 210 hospitals and clinics and 375 pharmacies that will be open from the 24th through the 27th. Five emergency departments—including Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Bumin Hospital, Wooridul Spine Hospital, MizMedi Hospital and Gangseo K Hospital—will operate around the clock. For residents’ convenience, eight public parking lots with a total of 971 spaces will be opened free of charge during the same period. Temporary parking for up to two hours will also be permitted on roads near four traditional markets. The recipients of condolence payments for basic livelihood security beneficiaries will be expanded to 21,600 households, an increase of 1,624 from last year.
Preliminary safety inspections will also be conducted at cultural facilities. Yongsan District will carry out public-private joint safety inspections at performance venues and movie theaters in the district from the 14th through the 21st. The inspections are intended to identify potential hazards and assess safety management at each facility ahead of the expected increase in visitors during the Chuseok holiday. Inspection teams made up of public officials and private experts in architecture, firefighting and electrical engineering will visit the facilities to examine structural safety, architectural finishing conditions, firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers, and electrical systems including ground-fault and wiring circuit breakers. Because many visitors may enter and exit at the same time, the teams will pay particular attention to evacuation routes and emergency exits to ensure smooth evacuation in an emergency. Minor issues will be corrected immediately on site, while facilities requiring urgent safety measures may be prohibited from use.
Some autonomous districts are also providing free vehicle inspections for safe holiday travel. Seodaemun District will conduct its “2026 Chuseok Free Vehicle Inspection” at Hongje Waterfall Plaza from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 20th. More than 40 professional mechanics affiliated with the Seodaemun Branch of the Seoul Association of Specialized Automobile Maintenance Businesses will inspect more than 10 key vehicle components, including the engine, belts, tires, brakes and battery. They will also replenish various oils and windshield washer fluid free of charge and replace defective bulbs on site. Emissions will be checked for gasoline- and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered vehicles. Eligible vehicles are passenger cars, vans and trucks weighing no more than 1 ton owned by Seodaemun District residents. No reservation is required, and participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the site.
[email protected] Seong Chorong Reporter