Hwang vows to enhance public safety

Published : Mar 17, 2017 - 11:45 Updated : Mar 17, 2017 - 11:45

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday vowed to enhance public safety amid deepening social and political divisions over the recent ouster of former President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal.

During a meeting of ministers on public safety, Hwang stressed the government will do its best to make a "safe society" by preventing any accidents that could occur due to failed safety checkups of major public facilities vulnerable to disasters.

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during a meeting of ministers on public safety at the central government complex in Seoul on March 17, 2017. (Yonhap)

"Our country has recently been under very grave circumstances both internally and externally," Hwang said. "Particularly at this juncture, it is more important than anything else to ensure public safety, which is directly linked to the lives of citizens and their properties."

In recent months, South Korea has been grappling with a host of social, diplomatic and security challenges, including deep divisions over Park's dismissal, Beijing's escalating economic retaliation over the ongoing installation of a US missile defense system on the peninsula and Pyongyang's unrelenting provocations.

During the safety meeting, Hwang instructed top officials to craft new measures -- or legislation if necessary -- to remove any safety loopholes.

The acting president, in addition, directed officials to check if the nation is fully ready to carry out emergency measures to cope with any potential disasters, such as earthquakes and large-scale chemical accidents. (Yonhap)