Seoul Metropolitan Government conducts emergency inspections at 10 major facilities before holiday
72 deficiencies found, including 6 serious violations; corrective orders issued
![Seoul Metropolitan Government officials inspect fire safety and crowd management conditions at a hypermarket and other high-traffic facilities. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/19/news-p.v1.20260919.d360eadaab2749b7b7f3a32a1dd29e57_P1.jpg)
The Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted safety inspections at five hypermarkets and 10 high-traffic public facilities, including express bus terminals and railway stations, ahead of the chuseok holiday, when large crowds are expected.
According to the city, the inspections — carried out from Sept. 2 to 8 — examined fire safety and crowd management conditions at hypermarket food halls, loading docks and storage areas, as well as inside terminals and station buildings. Inspectors checked fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, sprinkler systems, fire doors and fire shutters, and evacuation facilities, and also reviewed crowd safety plans and emergency contact networks.
The inspections uncovered 72 deficiencies in total, including six serious violations. Three cases involved parking lots and stairwell enclosures that had been illegally partitioned with panels and converted into storage space; the city ordered the partitions removed. Three other cases — including a shopping arcade underhang and employee rest areas — lacked sprinkler systems, and the city notified those facilities to install them.
The city said it plans to notify the relevant district offices and fire stations to conduct follow-up inspections, as the violations could allow fire to spread unchecked or obstruct evacuation.
Other deficiencies included obstacles placed near fire extinguishers, hydrants and fire shutters, improperly maintained sprinkler heads, missing evacuation guide lights, and fire doors left permanently open.
The city directed facilities to address issues that could be fixed immediately on the spot, and notified them to complete repairs such as sprinkler head replacements before the chuseok holiday.
The city also plans to recommend that the National Fire Agency revise its fire safety performance standards for sprinkler systems to require stronger sprinkler head installation standards at warehouse-style retail facilities, in order to improve their initial fire response capability.
"We will do our utmost to prevent fire hazards in advance and carry out safety measures so that citizens can enjoy a safe and comfortable chuseok," said Choi Jin-seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's disaster and safety division.
ken@heraldcorp.com
