As you would expect,... the South Korean government is keeping an especially close eye on Typhoon Soulik as it steadily makes its way north.
The typhoon -- the first to directly hit the country in six years -- has President Moon Jae-in and top officials in the nation on full-alert.
Shin Se-min reports.
The Presidential Office said Wednesday that it's put its crisis management center in full operation as typhoon Soulik heads towards the Peninsula.
The top office said the center has been in operation since Tuesday,… just a day after President Moon Jae-in had ordered total preparation to minimize potential damage and casualties.
According to the South Korean weather agency, Soulik, classified as a mid-sized typhoon, had already passed through the waters off southern Japan by late Tuesday,… and is packing strong winds with its maximum wind speeds reaching 155 kilometers an hour.
And the crisis management team -- led by the presidential security adviser and the head of the National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong -- is keeping the president in the loop, in real-time, on the progress of the typhoon and countermeasures.
President Moon even called off a meeting Wednesday with the heads of 17 local government chiefs-- as he wanted them to stay put and make sure their regions are totally ready.
And Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon is doing the same thing -- getting members of the government to take all necessary precautions by checking on facilities like farms and fisheries.
He's put all government officials on high alert until the typhoon has completely passed by the Peninsula and told them to focus their efforts on preventing casualties.
"And with the storm looking like it's going to sweep all the way from the southern part of the Peninsula to North Korea's Mount Kumgang -- where the inter-Korean family reunions are being held this week -- the presidential office says it's also going over some related safety measures there.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News."
