Sejong, November 21 - On November 9, the Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) conducted a mock disaster training to respond to fine particles, also known as PM2.5, with seventeen cities, provinces, and concerned authorities. 

The disaster training is to respond effectively to a high concentration of fine particles during winter, as fine particles are considered one of the social disasters under the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety from March 2019. The mock training started in 2019, and this year marks the 4th training. The central and local governments and public institutions joined the mock disaster training to check response capability and coordination among government offices. 

According to the Standard Manual for Disaster Risk Management of Fine Particles, the ministry conducted the mock training assuming the "caution" level of fine particle was issued on November 8 at 17:10.

On November 9 from 6 AM, the concerned organizations, including the Ministry of Environment, conducted emergency training on-site and in written format, taking COVID-19 circumstances into account. On-site training included curtailing the operation of public places of business and government construction sites, limiting the operation of grade 5 vehicles, road cleaning, and inspections of places of business. Written exercises were also conducted assuming a real situation, including sending text messages on disaster and reducing the operation of thermal power plants.

Environment Minister Han Wha-jin presided over the joint inspection meeting with seventeen cities and provinces at the Han River Flood Control Office at 8 AM on the same day. She checked each institution's action plans and requested them to do their best to protect public health from fine particles. After the meeting, Geum Han-seung, Deputy Minister for Climate Change and Carbon Neutral Policy, visited Gangnam Resource Recovery Facility, one of the participants of the mock training, to check the implementation of disaster response for fine particles and heard difficulties they experienced.  

Park Yeon-jae, Director-General of the Air Quality Policy Bureau, said, "This exercise is to check the pan-governmental responsive system in case of a high concentration of fine particles." He added, "The Ministry of Environment will ensure that it will run the 4th seasonal fine particle management system according to plan."

Contact: Chang Hye-sook, Deputy Director

Air Quality Policy Division / +82-(0)44-201-7723

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr