Gwangju Metropolitan City has been named an excellent institution for the second consecutive year in the local government evaluation of the “2024 Republic of Korea Safety Transformation Intensive Safety Inspection” organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The city achieved this recognition by demonstrating effective safety inspections, institutional interest, and dissemination of safety culture, along with promotional accomplishments. Gwangju conducted an intensive safety inspection involving 2,961 participants, including public officials, private experts, civic groups, and citizens, assessing a total of 769 facilities such as children’s play areas over 61 days.
The city excelled in all evaluation categories, receiving high marks for the mayor’s participation in on-site inspections and various safety campaigns, including those targeting vulnerable groups and the distribution of safety kits. This resulted in Gwangju being honored as an excellent institution for two consecutive years among 17 cities and provinces, leading to a Prime Minister’s commendation. Additionally, Gwangju secured 1.19 billion won in special disaster safety grants for the repair and reinforcement of facilities identified during the safety inspections and successfully obtained national funds through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s 2024 social disaster reduction projects.
Mayor Kang Ki-jung attributed this success to the collaborative efforts of citizens, institutions, and associations to build a safe city, but emphasized the need for continued vigilance against everyday safety risks. The initiative reflects an ongoing national disaster prevention policy, conducted since 2015, where the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, in collaboration with private and public entities, assesses the safety management status nationwide with evaluations by university professors and private experts.