7 December 2015: An Annual Forum for Korean Cities was launched by 156 Korean municipalities in order to strengthen implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. The decision to launch this initiative happened during a City Resilience Summit taking place at the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Global Education and Training Institute (GETI), in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

The Forum, which will be convened by UNISDR, will seek to strengthen peer-to-peer learning, including on other governments’ plans for implementing the Sendai Framework.

UNISDR reports that floods, storms, and landslides are among the most frequent hazards in the Republic of Korea. The country has a comprehensive plan to enhance disaster management in response to climate change, and various ministries are increasing their investment in disaster risk mitigation.

According to Ahn Young-kyoo, Ministry of Public Safety and Security, Republic of Korea, local governments in the country have been urged to integrate flood mitigation planning into city planning, and are charged with collecting disaster information within the national reporting mechanism despite limited resources.

Adopted in March 2015, the Sendai Framework provides guidance to support national and local efforts to build resilience to disasters within the context of sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in September 2015 also promotes resilience and disaster risk reduction. [UNISDR Press Release] [Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030]