The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 6th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Yonsei University, Hanyang University, Kangwon National University, and Soongsil University to cultivate specialized personnel in the field of 'earthquake disaster prevention'.
This is a government program for training master's and doctoral level personnel that started after the earthquake in Gyeongju in 2016 and the earthquake in Pohang in 2017. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety provides support for labor costs, training expenses, and operating expenses for a period of two years to the universities selected. So far, 545 people have participated in this degree program, and 254 specialized personnel have been produced, engaged in structural design, safety diagnostics, and conducting research.
A total of 1.44 billion won in national funding will be provided to the universities participating in this agreement from September until August 2027. Oh Byeong-gwon, head of the Natural Disaster Division of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, noted, "The government will strive to enhance the country's disaster management capabilities by fostering specialized personnel who can be immediately utilized in the field."