Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Training to continue up to November 19, with an emphasis on strengthening the ability to respond to conditions in the field;
Presided over by the defense minister, joint disaster training to be held on November 17;
Each unit will hold discussion training and education in its own way;
Ministry to hold a photo-poster-slogan contest at the same time

The military will provide support to the effort to make the Republic of Korea (ROK) a strong country against disaster. On November 12, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a statement that it will start the ‘Counter Disaster Safe Korea Training 2021’ on November 15. 

Presided over by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), the training will continue to November 19, and will focus on strengthening the ability of soldiers to respond promptly and smoothly to conditions in the field, as well as establishing a large-scale counter disaster system. With a total of 322 participant organizations, including 23 central departments, 17 cities and provinces, 228 cities, guns, and gus, and 54 public organizations, the training will continue from October 1 to November 30, with different training periods set for each organization due to the COVID-19 situation. The training also checks the response and cooperation system among organizations by setting up a virtual disaster situation, and introduces ‘non-contact discussion training’ to reach a plan for improvement by identifying potential problems in advance. 

The MOIS has added some requirements, including a crisis management manual, excavation of the dead zone and addressing the imperfections of response systems, so that the participant organizations can achieve the goal of training through discussion.

Following this, the MND has a plan to conduct a counter accident discussion training on November 17, based on the scenario of a complex disaster of fire and falling at Militopia Hotel in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. Presided over by Minister Suh Wook, the training will be held jointly by related organizations, including Seongnam City, Seongnam Fire Station, Seongnam Sujeong Police Station, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, Korea Electrical Safety Corporation, Korea Armed Forces Welfare Agency, and Armed Forces Medical Command. The participant organizations will closely check the situation control capability and cooperation system through a discussion training, ranging from the reception of an accident to the first meeting of the MND’s central post-accident management headquarters, initial response to fire, additional response to the collapse of a building, and a transfer to the recovery phase once the fire is contained. A compulsory counter emergency training for the disaster response headquarters agents will also be held on the same day. 

Each unit will also conduct discussion training and disaster safety education in its own way. Significantly, the ministry is working on a ‘photo-poster-slogan contest for disaster and safety’ at the same time, with the aim of spreading a culture of safety and building awareness among soldiers.

A total of 397 works, including 321 slogans, 53 posters, and 23 photos were submitted to the contest after the start of the reception on October 13. The ministry will select the best work and another excellent work in each area, and will give a defense minister’s prize. The results will be announced on November 26. 

“This Safe Korea Training will pave the way to developing a disaster response system on a government-wide level, as well as improving the military’s own response capability. We will work toward establishing a military that is trusted by the people by reaffirming the principal mission of armed forces, which is to protect the lives and property of the people,” a ministry spokesperson commented.

김철환 By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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