The Ministry of Interior and Safety noted on the 17th that it will conduct the Eulji exercise for four days from the 18th to establish a national emergency preparedness posture and ensure stability for citizens during emergencies.
The Eulji exercise is an emergency preparedness training conducted nationwide once a year at the government level to protect the lives and property of the nation and its citizens in the event of a war, disaster, or similar national emergency. This year's Eulji exercise will be implemented under the name 'Eulji Freedom Shield' in connection with the Korea-U.S. joint military exercise.
Approximately 4,000 institutions, including administrative agencies at the town, village, and district levels, public institutions and organizations, and key management target companies, will participate, totaling 580,000 individuals.
At the central ministries and city or provincial units, 'one agency-one training' will be conducted under the chairmanship of the heads of institutions, simulating actual damage scenarios to critical infrastructure such as national important facilities, roads, and power facilities. Training will also be conducted to familiarize participants with the procedures for transitioning from peacetime administrative systems to wartime systems, including immediate promulgation of legal drafts necessary for wartime.
Training for the movement of residents in affected areas, sheltering and relief training for residents evacuated from the five islands in the West Sea, and training for the continuous supply of essential energy for citizens' lives are also planned. On the 20th, nationwide civil defense drills, including evacuation training in preparation for air raids and training for clearing paths for fire trucks and ambulances, will also be conducted.
This year's Eulji exercise has strengthened realistic training to prepare for new security threats, including the use of drones, Global Positioning System (GPS), cyberattacks, and new weapons utilizing advanced science and technology.
Areas declared as 'special disaster areas' due to damage from forest fires and heavy rains will be excluded from the Eulji exercise for rapid recovery from damages.