| Ships are moved onto land at a port in Ulsan, 299 kilometers southeast of Seoul ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Khanun, Aug. 8. Yonhap |
Korea's industry ministry said Wednesday it is inspecting key industrial and energy facilities to prevent potential damage from Typhoon Khanun, which is set to hit the southern coast this week.
"As the ministry oversees a range of infrastructure directly linked to the everyday lives of the people, including electricity and gas facilities, all organizations must prepare for the typhoon to avoid potential damage," Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang said during an emergency meeting.
The industry ministry said it is currently operating an emergency response system to immediately repair facilities in case of any damage.
The government's Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters raised its disaster readiness alert level up a notch to the highest level of three from two at 5 p.m. the previous day in response to the typhoon's looming landfall. (Yonhap)