- Discussions regarding the formation of measures minimizing the loss
from disasters -
On September 30, the FKI held an informal
meeting among businesses at Businessmen's Club on the subject of "the need to
form a cooperative network of businesses designed to provide mutual support from
hardships caused by disasters." In the meeting, attendees discussed how to form
a network and its operational plan designed to provide relief activities in case
of a disaster.
After inspecting photos displaying scenes of activities for
provision of relief to businesses that suffered losses due to disasters, the
160-plus attendees discussed ways to provide systematic and efficient relief
activities in close cooperation with the authorities and relevant
NGOs.
Plan to prepare a manual for dealing with disasters in
consideration of business characteristics
The FKI's formation of "a
cooperative network of businesses designed to provide mutual support from
hardships caused by disasters." is based on the recognition that it is important
to take measures that can help minimize losses from disasters that occur every
year an put into operation a system allowing prompt rehabilitation in case of a
disaster.
In his speech at the meeting, FKI Vice Chairman Myung-Kwan Hyun
said, "It must be pointed out that the nation's disaster management system
leaves much to be desired, which is demonstrated by the large-scale losses from
disasters caused by floods or typhoons every year. There is a need for the
establishment of an efficient general management system controlling relevant
departments and organizations of the government."
He added, "The nation must
make courageous investment in a disaster prevention system. We can see that
other industrialized countries suffer much less damage even in the case of
disasters similar in magnitude to what occurs in our country. It is all thanks
to their sophisticated disaster prevention system, supported by precision
meterological information equipment."
He also said that a series of
guidelines adopted in connection with a "cooperative network of businesses
designed to provide mutual support from hardships caused by disasters." was
expected to help the civilian disaster management system be operated in a much
more efficient way.
Composed of 5 teams with the participation of
200-plus businesses
Under FKI's plan to "form a cooperative network
of businesses designed to provide mutual support from hardships caused by
disasters." the network will be composed of 5 teams participated in by 200-plus
businesses, i.e. the Administrative Support Team, the Supply Support Team, the
Emergency Rehabilitation Team, the Civilian Relief Team and the PR Team.
The
network plans to distribute disaster management manuals, supply first-aid kits,
operate a disaster management site, and hold educational sessions for those in
charge of disaster prevention and management at businesses.
FKI Deputy
Secretary General Seung-Cheol Lee said that there was a possibility that the
nation's exports and imports might experience problems due to the damage caused
by Typhoon Maemi to harbors and stevedoring equipment. He made recommendations
to the Government regarding structural improvement of power facilities,
replacement of dilapidated facilities, qualitative improvement of the power
industry, sophistication of the meteorological information system, establishment
of a national disaster prevention/management system and prompt relief for the
rehabilitation of areas affected by the damage caused by Typhoon
Maemi.
Voluntary disaster relief work and businesses
In the
presentation of an opinion with the subject of "Voluntary disaster relief work
and businesses - lessons of the great earthquake in Kobe/Awaji," professor
Tomohide of Osaka University said that it was important to establish firm
relations between disaster-related NPOs and businesses as shown by the roles of
the Keidanren and volunteer relief workers at the time of the great earthquake
in Kobe. He added that, at the time of a disaster, businesses must cooperate
with the local authorities responsible for disaster prevention through division
of roles in addition to taking proper measures for losses incurred by it, for
higher efficiency over the operation as a whole.
Seung-Goo Kim, a manager at
Samsung Community Service Corps, made a briefing on the activities carried out
by his team (3119 Emergency Relief Team), including those at the time of the
crash of a Chinese airliner in 2002 under the disaster relief system of
Samsung.
Other attendees, including Tae-Hyung Lim with the Community Service
Department at KT and Dae-Suk Kwak with the Community Service Department at CJ,
made presentation on their practices concerning disasters, showing how
businesses respond to disasters.
|
Home > Events
