(LEAD) S. Korea to enhance quake-resistance of public facilities

(ATTN: CLARIFIES ministry name in 4th para)
SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government said Monday that it will enhance the
quake-resistance of subways, airports, roads and other public facilities in a bid
to minimize damage from possible natural disasters in the future.

The move came after a 7.0-magnitude quake wreaked havoc on Haiti last month,
leaving hundreds of thousands people dead or injured and destroying homes and
buildings.
South Korea has been regarded as being relatively safe from earthquakes but
concerns recently mounted that its major cities could also be vulnerable to a
quake after the devastation witnessed in Haiti. Experts are calling for the
government to tighten measures aimed at protecting buildings and major
infrastructure from a large-scale quake.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said that it will strengthen
quake-resistance capabilities in the subways of Busan, the nation's
second-largest city, by the end of 2011, while improving protection in some parts
of subways in Seoul, the capital where more than 10 million people reside.
All of the nation's airports and roads will also be equipped with better
quake-resistance ability by the end of 2012, while assessment will be conducted
of public facilities aimed at protecting them from any such shocks, the ministry
noted.
Additional reviews will be done as well on the nation's seaports by 2014 to see
if there is need for enhancement. Guidelines will be provided to builders in
order to induce their efforts to strengthen quake resistance of homes, apartments
and others in the private sector, it added.
"The government has applied its quake-resistant construction standards on each
facilities since 1979 so that in the case of social overhead capital, it can
withstand an earthquake of 5.4-6.5 magnitude," a ministry official said. "Going
forward, we will continue to take necessary countermeasures aimed at bracing well
for any natural disasters."
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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