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Fri, September 22, 2023 | 08:00
-------------------------
Safety agency to handle disasters
野"잘못했다고 부처없애나"…'인적청산 5적' 주장도
Posted : 2014-05-20 17:02
Updated : 2014-05-20 17:08
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The swimming pool of the Korea Coast Guard Academy in Yeosu, North Jeolla Province, is empty Tuesday, a day after President Park Geun-hye announced a plan to abolish the Coast Guard for its mishandling of the sinking of the ferry Sewol. A swimming test was scheduled Tuesday, but cancelled. / Yonhap
The swimming pool of the Korea Coast Guard Academy in Yeosu, North Jeolla Province, is empty Tuesday, a day after President Park Geun-hye announced a plan to abolish the Coast Guard for its mishandling of the sinking of the ferry Sewol. A swimming test was scheduled Tuesday, but cancelled. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye


After President Park Geun-hye said she will create a new national disaster control tower, during a televised address Monday, all eyes are now focused on the role of the tentatively titled National Safety Agency (NSA).

President Park said the new organization will cover all sorts of disasters ― maritime, land, aviation, energy and chemical accidents ― during her speech about the Sewol ferry disaster.

Park said the agency, under the control of the prime minister, will aim to prevent major accidents and better handle any emergencies that occur.

The NSA will have three departments covering land safety, maritime safety and other special disasters.

Its maritime safety department, which will take over the handling of sea disasters from the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), will have four local branches covering the West Sea, East Sea, South Sea and Jeju Island.

This comes after Park decided to dismantle the KCG for its lax rescue efforts during the Sewol catastrophe that claimed hundreds of lives, mostly high school students.

The land safety department will control fire defense headquarters, local governments and other concerned bodies to ensure they jointly confront accidents on land.

The special disasters department will be responsible for air, chemical and other accidents.

Park's address came as criticism arose that the nation does not have a proper control tower to effectively cope with disasters from their initial stages. The lack of such a control tower was cited as one of the biggest reasons so many died in the ferry accident.

However, critics and opposition lawmakers raised concern that the envisioned plan could lead to creating a giant organization without improvement in the country's ability to handle disasters.

"It seems doubtful the agency will be able to handle ocean and land disasters at the same time. President Park seems to want to create an ineffective giant organization in the name of safety," said Park Kwang-on, spokesman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).

The NPAD is arguing that the National Security Council (NSC) of the presidential office should play the role of disaster control tower, saying Cheong Wa Dae should take full responsibility for the people's safety, rather than shifting the mission onto the prime minister's office.

Shim Ik-sup, a professor at the department of public administration of Dongguk University, pointed out that the concerns come as the decision was made quickly without thorough discussion.

"Plans to reorganize the governmental offices should be drawn up through compact analysis and discussion with various experts," he said. "Such things cannot be done through a president's unilateral order."

Skepticism has been also raised over whether dismantling the Coast Guard is a good idea. The NPAD said President Park attempted to shift the responsibility to the KCG, while saying she felt huge responsibility for the disaster as the head of state.

"If the Coast Guard is disbanded, who has to patrol the seas against Chinese fishing boats?" said Rep. Park Jie-won of the NPAD. "I support the need for overall reform of the Coast Guard, but I disagree with its dissolution."

He added if the government removes organizations whenever they make errors, there will eventually be no government offices left.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye


野"잘못했다고 부처없애나"…'인적청산 5적' 주장도

    새정치민주연합은 20일 세월호 참사와 관련한 박근혜 대통령의 전날 대국민담화에 대해 '담화의 진정성도 의심스럽고, 대책에도 핵심이 빠졌다'고 비판하며 공세를 이어갔다.

    특히 담화에서 인적쇄신이 포함돼 있지 않은 점을 지적하면서 개각 뿐만아니라 청와대 참모진의 전면적인 개편을 요구했다.

    박영선 원내대표는 이날 오전 국회에서 열린 의원총회에서 '국민과 유가족은 철저한 진상조사를 원하고 있는데, 대통령 담화에서는 이에 대한 의지를 읽을 수 없었다'고 비판했다.

    또 철저한 진상규명을 위해 청와대도 조사 대상에 포함하는 등 성역없는 조사를 해야한다고 강조하면서 '대통령을 흠집내겠다는 것이 아니라 청와대의 보고·지휘 체계를 점검하겠다는 것'이라고 밝혔다.

    박 원내대표는 SBS라디오 '한수진의 SBS 전망대'와 가진 전화인터뷰에서는 '개각을 해야 하는 것은 너무나 당연한 일'이라면서 '개각도 중요하지만 청와대 참모진의 전면적 개편이 필요하다'고 주장했다.

    이와 관련해 당내 중진인 박지원 의원은 트위터에 '인적청산 5적, 총리, 비서실장, 국정원장, 안보실장, KBS 사장'이라고 적시하기도했다.

    해경 해체에 대한 비판도 나왔다.

    신경민 최고위원은 이날 KBS라디오 '안녕하십니까, 홍지명입니다'에 나와 '해경은 실종자 수색을 계속 실행해야 하며 조사도 받아야 할 기관'이라며 '정부조직 개편을 야당과 일절 협의 없이 내놓은 것도 문제'라고 지적했다.

    박지원 의원은 트위터 글에서 '해경을 해체하면 중국어선 등 연해안 경비는 (어떻게 되나), 잘못했다고 없앤다면 정부부처 중 남을 곳이 있겠는가'라며 '해경을 개혁은 하되 해체는 반대한다'고 적었다.

    뿐만아니라 박 의원은 이날 팽목항을 방문, 박 대통령의 해경 해체 발언 이후 실종자 수색작업에는 문제가 없는지 점검에 나서기도 했다.
Emailjjh@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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