According to the government’s plan, under the newly established national safety agency, fire defense headquarters, maritime safety headquarters, safety management departments and so on will be placed to oversee the national safety. (image: Kobizmedia/Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) – Against the government’s plan to dissolve the National Coast Guard and the National Emergency Management Agency and merge them with a soon-to-be-established national safety agency, a firefighter began the signature collecting campaign to save the firefighters’ agency.
On May 28, a firefighter posted an appeal on Daum’s online discussion board Agora titled, “Please Guard the National Emergency Management Agency from Dissolution.” People’s interest on it picks up and as of 11 a.m. of May 30, more than 50,000 signed for the appeal.
The unnamed firefighter said, “By establishing the national safety agency, the National Emergency Management Agency will be de facto dissolved and firefighters together with coast guards will be merged into the new agency with one rank demotion.”
“When you see a country’s safety level, you can see the country’s status in all areas. Please be our 119 and help us secure safety budget by designating the title of firefighters as national-level positions in order to avoid words like ‘lack of manpower’ and ‘lack of equipment’ anymore,” he added.
According to the government’s plan, under the newly established national safety agency, fire defense headquarters, maritime safety headquarters, safety management departments and so on will be placed to oversee the national safety.
The bill will be submitted to the National Assembly in June. The National Emergency Management Agency to which firefighters belong will be dissolved and merged into the new agency.
Written by John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
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