▲ A joint Chuseok memorial service for the victims of the Osong disaster was held at a public memorial altar within Cheongju City Hall last October.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it inspected preparations for the memorial service and safety management measures for underpasses in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, today, ahead of the third anniversary of the Osong disaster.
The Osong disaster is a tragedy that occurred on July 15, 2023, when the Miho River embankment collapsed due to heavy rainfall, causing the Gungpyeong 2 Underpass to flood, resulting in 14 deaths and 16 injuries.
Since last year, the government has been operating the Osong Underpass Disaster Victim Support Team within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Starting with this year's third anniversary, the memorial event, which had previously been organized by the bereaved families and the survivors' association, will be held jointly by the government, the bereaved families, and the survivors' association.
Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Disaster and Safety Management Office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, visited the public memorial altar set up at Cheongju City Hall today to pay respects to the victims. He then visited the Gungpyeong 2 Underpass to inspect the status of vehicle entry barrier installations, emergency evacuation facilities, and institutional improvements implemented since the disaster, such as strengthened control standards for underpasses.
Following the Osong disaster, the government expanded the scope of mandatory vehicle entry barrier installations for underpasses and made it mandatory to establish response plans, set control standards, and designate responsible personnel for each underpass.
In addition, four individuals have been designated for each underpass to preemptively control access based on water depth, and the maximum water depth threshold for entry control has been tightened from the previous 15 cm to 5 cm.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety explained that based on these standards, 19 underpasses nationwide were preemptively closed during the heavy rainfall from July 8 to 10, preventing potential damage.
Furthermore, a pilot service is currently operating in 83 underpasses in Seoul and Daejeon, providing drivers with real-time information on closures and detour routes via navigation apps when access is restricted due to heavy rain. The government plans to expand this service nationwide starting next year.
Currently, 512 out of 564 underpasses designated for installation have completed the setup of vehicle entry barriers.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to provide budget support to ensure that local governments complete installations for the remaining 49 underpasses, excluding three that are scheduled to be closed.
"It is the government's duty not only to turn the lessons of the disaster into policies but also to verify until the end that they actually function in the field," said Kim. "We will maintain a constant state of readiness for areas prone to flooding and areas at risk of casualties during the summer season to minimize damage from storm and flood disasters."
(Photo: Provided by the Osong Disaster Citizens' Countermeasure Committee, Yonhap News)
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