Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Mobilizes All Efforts in Response to Apartment Fire in Gijang-gun… Implements Care Services and Safety Measures for Aging Apartment Complexes

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that in response to the fire that occurred last night (July 2 at approximately 22:58) at an apartment complex in Gijang-gun, which resulted in the deaths of two children, the City held a countermeasure meeting today (July 3) and visited the site of the incident to carry out response and preventive measures.

< Overview of the Apartment Fire in Gijang-gun >
○ (Time) Around 22:58, Wednesday, July 2, 2025
○ (Location) Apartment complex in Gijang-gun
○ (Incident Details) Reports of smoke and flames from apartment; two individuals found inside during firefighting efforts and transported to hospital
○ (Casualties) [Human] 2 fatalities

First, at 09:00 a.m., the Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters convened an emergency response meeting chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs.

○ The meeting covered the following discussions: ▲ Expansion and enhancement of 24-hour childcare services ▲ Provision of initial firefighting equipment for disaster-vulnerable groups ▲ Inspection and support for fire safety facilities in aging apartment complexes ▲ Psychological support for bereaved families ▲ Public awareness on preventing electrical fires during summer months.

○ To diagnose structural causes and devise effective measures, the City plans to establish a "Fire Prevention Task Force for Disaster-Vulnerable Populations," led by the Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs.

Busan Metropolitan City will implement an expansion of the "24-hour childcare service" to address gaps in childcare provision. Given the high demand for nighttime care in dual-income households, the City will make services available during vulnerable hours—late night and early morning (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.)—to allow families to access care without time constraints and will promptly formulate plans to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

○ Previously, during these hours, families faced increased costs due to surcharge fees, and it was difficult to arrange caregivers, resulting in low utilization. In response, the City plans to ease the burden on vulnerable households during nighttime hours and improve caregiver compensation (including transportation and allowance support) to create a safe and seamless childcare environment.

○ In addition, the City will expand the "Busan-type Hospitalized Childcare Service" for children aged 12 or younger who are hospitalized for over three months, and increase the number of "Busan-type 365 Open Time-Daycare Centers," which operate until midnight, from the current 6 locations to 10 starting August 1. These efforts aim to strengthen the infrastructure for emergency childcare services.

○ To reduce financial burdens on families using these services, the City will pursue discussions with the Ministry of Health and Welfare for government support, and any additional expenses will be fully covered by the City. The City also plans to actively request the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to expand eligibility criteria and provide national funding.

At approximately 10:50 a.m., Mayor Park visited the scene of the fire, inspected the emergency response, and directed swift support for recovery efforts.

○ Mayor Park received a report from the Fire Safety Headquarters regarding the response to the fire incident and carefully reviewed potential support measures the City could provide.

Mayor Park Heong-joon, speaking at the site, said, “I feel deep sorrow and a heavy sense of responsibility for this heartbreaking incident in which young lives were lost,” and added, “To address the childcare gaps in dual-income households, we will expand emergency care services, including nighttime care, and conduct a comprehensive inspection of aging apartment complexes without sprinkler systems to review and reinforce the fire prevention system.”