Gov't to maintain 24-hour emergency operations over Chuseok holiday

The government will maintain a 24-hour emergency management system throughout the Chuseok holiday from Sept. 24 to 27, conducting advance inspections of local festivals and traditional markets. Authorities will also step up efforts to prevent fires and crimes, maintain emergency medical services, and contain the spread of infectious and livestock diseases.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Wednesday that a pan-government "Chuseok Holiday Safety Management Plan" was finalized at the 14th National Policy Coordination Meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook.

The ministry's Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will lead a round-the-clock situation management system in coordination with relevant agencies and local governments, with the capacity to shift immediately to a full pan-government emergency response if a disaster occurs. Before the holiday, authorities will inspect major venues expected to draw large crowds — including local festivals and traditional markets — and address any safety hazards.

Displaced residents who have been unable to return home for an extended period due to flooding or property damage caused by heavy rains in July and August will receive rental assistance for temporary housing.

Traffic safety measures will also be reinforced ahead of the surge in holiday travelers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will operate a joint government special traffic management task force for five days starting Tuesday. Special safety inspections will cover expressways, national highways and privately operated toll roads, and AI-powered big data analysis will identify 50 high-risk road sections. Drivers will be alerted to those sections through navigation apps and electronic road signs.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will operate a special passenger ferry traffic management task force and deploy additional vessels to boost transport capacity. Joint inspections of ferries and excursion boats will check life jackets and other rescue equipment, as well as insurance coverage.

Fire and wildfire response will remain on heightened alert. The National Fire Agency will place fire station chiefs on special standby duty, while the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will conduct safety inspections of traditional markets together with regional small and medium enterprise offices and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business. The Korea Forest Service will keep firefighting helicopters, vehicles and personnel on emergency standby, dispatching the nearest available helicopter first in the event of a wildfire.

To prevent everyday crimes and strengthen maritime security, the Korean National Police Agency will elevate its holiday situation manager from superintendent to assistant commissioner general and intensify crackdowns on street crimes such as robbery and theft. With the short Chuseok break expected to leave more single-person households behind this year, the agency also plans to expand patrols in areas with high concentrations of single-occupant residences.

To sustain emergency medical services and prevent the spread of infectious diseases during the holiday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will keep 416 emergency medical institutions and 113 emergency medical facilities operating around the clock. The KDCA will run a 24-hour reporting system for suspected cases of Class 1 infectious diseases and plans to offer respiratory infection testing as well as rapid diagnostic kit screening for dengue fever and malaria to international arrivals.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has designated Sept. 23 and Sept. 28 — the days immediately before and after the holiday — as nationwide simultaneous disinfection days to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, with livestock farms and related facilities to be disinfected all at once.

"We will work closely with relevant agencies throughout the Chuseok holiday to maintain a thorough emergency management system for public safety," Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung said. "We also ask the public to check safety information in advance, including emergency contact numbers for reporting incidents or seeking assistance."