Chungcheongnam-do

▲ National Safety International Forum

Chungcheongnam Province held an international forum on the topic of 'National Safety' along with the 3rd Memorial Day of the Sewol Ferry Disaster,

On April 14, the province held the 3rd Memorial Day of the Sewol Ferry Disaster Risk Management Conference and the 4th International Disaster Management Symposium at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.

The forum was held jointly by the province, the Korean Association for Crisis & Emergency Management, the Korea Policy Forum and the Korea Policy Research Institute, and this event managed in joint with the Chungnam Research Institute and the Chungnam Disaster & Safety Research Center was held on the topic of 'Risk management and disaster preparation by local governments to secure the national safety.'

The forum was attended by 130 people including members of the 'Safe Chungnam Vision 2050' General Committee, personnel from the relevant organizations and groups, and government officials, and consisted of presentations followed by discussions.

During the 1st conference, Kim Hyung-yeul, director of the Korea Policy Research Institute, and the most senior person in attendance, and Professor Lee Jae-eun of Chungbuk National University gave the first keynote presentation on the 'The direction of Korean disaster management policies as seen through the Sewol Ferry Disaster'.

The presentations continued with one by Dr. Qian’an of the China Science & Technology Institute on the ‘Study of International Cooperation on Emergencies,’ another by Dr. Keiko Kitagawa of Seitoku University on the topic of 'Risk element-based disaster preparation systems' based on experience of the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016.

Dr. Enpang Qui'ang of Tianjin Teacher's College gave a keynote presentation on the 'Core competitiveness of China's cooperative system of disease management'.

The 2nd 'Chungnam Disaster Safety Research Center Session' included presentations on 'Methods of improving the support system for persons vulnerable to disaster safety' and 'The need for local governments to establish disaster & crisis management departments.'

During the 3rd conference held on the theme of 'Relief for disaster victims and disaster preparation', presentations were given on the 'Issues and methods of improving relief for disaster victims in Korea' and 'A study on disaster vulnerability based on an analysis of natural disaster damage'.

Yoo Byung-hoon, head of the Disaster & Safety Management Office, said, "This year, Chungchungnam-do has declared the Safe Chungnam Vision which makes the safety of provincial residents its top priority. This international forum was held to discuss our safety systems once more and to seek methods of improving public safety. The findings of the forum will be reviewed and reflected in future projects for creating a 'Safe Chungnam'."