Jemulpo-gu District (Mayor Kim Chan-jin) in Incheon conducted the 2026 Safe Korea disaster response drill, a joint civil-government-military exercise simulating a complex disaster in which an earthquake and a fire occur in succession. The district said it held the drill on the 1st as an integrated exercise linking two sites: the district office’s disaster safety situation room and Sangsang Platform.
 [The Korean Today] Scene from the 2026 Safe Korea disaster response drill © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
In the drill scenario, an earthquake strikes waters near Incheon Port, causing the Sangsang Platform facility, where a K-pop concert was under way, to collapse and catch fire. The scenario assumes a major disaster at a cultural and performance venue where large crowds gather, and is significant in that it reflects the area’s port setting and prepares for a situation that could realistically occur.
Participants checked the entire process, from immediately after the disaster to response and recovery, as if it were a real situation, including rescuing the injured, evacuation, operating an on-site medical station and setting up an integrated support headquarters. Rather than merely practicing isolated movements, they followed the full flow of disaster response and confirmed the roles and cooperation systems among agencies.
Twelve related agencies took part in the drill, including the Jemulpo-gu District Office, Jemulpo Fire Station, Jemulpo Police Station, the Incheon Maritime Defense Command, Incheon Medical Center, Incheon Paik Hospital, the Incheon Tourism Organization (Sangsang Platform), Michuhol-gu District Office, the Korean Red Cross Incheon Chapter and KT. Civic groups such as the Jemulpo-gu Volunteer Center, the voluntary disaster prevention corps, safety security officers and citizen experience groups, along with ordinary residents, also joined, bringing the total to about 200 participants in the joint civil-government-military drill.
Mayor Kim Chan-jin presided over a discussion drill at the disaster situation room and visited the emergency medical station, where he personally took part in administering first aid to the injured. “I thank everyone who took part in the drill for their efforts,” Kim said. “Through this drill, we will further strengthen a practical disaster response cooperation system that protects the lives and safety of Jemulpo-gu residents.”
The drill is significant in that fire, police, military, medical institutions, a telecom company and civilians rehearsed working together in one place. As cooperation among agencies at disaster sites can determine the scale of damage, the cooperation system built through regular drills is expected to serve as a foundation for protecting residents’ safety.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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