Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Saudiman]

I taught in Korea awhile, but was never in the subway when the sirens went off. Do they stop the subway trains during the drill (since they are underground) or do they continue running during the drill? What happens if the train is at an above-ground station at the time? Thanks, SM

[Airborne9]

[Steelrails]

It seems to me that while individually, it might be best for one person to get out of their car and start running around, that in a crowded urban environment this might not be the best idea.

First and foremost you need to get people conditioned and drilled so that in an event like that they do the most important thing- STOP DRIVING. Nothing would create more chaos than 1 million cars driving insane through a civil defense situation.

[Tamada]

[Chokse]

Give me a break! I'll give you the part about the engine block offering a degree of protection, but the doors? Really? Not a chance! Have you ever worked on a car in your life?

The doors are hollow, with fairly thin metal on the outside (designed to crumple and absorb an impact rather than prevent projectiles from entering the car) and cheap plastic and cloth/leather on the inside. Do you not realize the speed at which shrapnel travels from a bomb? A door would never even slow it down. Every wondered why presidents travel around in armor-plated cars? They certainly don't do it for the gas mileage!

Furthermore, what about all the glass surrounding you in a car? Do you think that's going to help protect you from shrapnel and debris? What if the bomb/artillery hits the building next to your parked car? It means all that debris will come falling down onto YOUR car with YOU in it. I'm sure you'll be safe tucked inside your glass and metal womb, though.

I said it once and I'll say it again. The drill is pointless and it only wastes people's time. If the government wants to do a proper and useful drill, it should require everyone to abandon their cars and seek shelter in a designated location (underground bomb shelter). Now, we all know that's never going to happen.

Finally, I have a request for Airborne. Please, please, please... I beg you... use a period somewhere in your sentences. It's all commas and no periods. Ever hear of a run-on sentence?

[Chokse]

TJ: Go back to the first post. Yeah, the one that started it all. Here's the direct quote from the US Embassy:


Quote: "The U.S. Embassy in Seoul is transmitting the following information as a public service to all U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea.

Seoul Metropolitan Police authorities advised the Embassy that on Thursday, August 18, at approximately 2:00 p.m. an air-raid siren will sound for one minute to signal the start of a nationwide civil defense drill. Pedestrians in open and public areas should seek shelter in nearby buildings or subway stations. All drivers/vehicles on the road must pull over and come to a complete stop. At approximately 2:15 p.m. a second siren will sound, signaling the conclusion of the drill. Local authorities will give further instructions if necessary."



Notice where it says, "All drivers/vehicles" on the road must pull over and come to a complete stop?" That's exactly where it says people in cars must not move. I was in my car when it happened. I had to stop in the middle of the street as I, and others around me, were stopped at a red light when the sirens sounded.

I actually attempted to exit my car to seek the comfort of an air-conditioned 7-11 less than 30 meters from my car, only to have a very distressed looking man in a yellow vest run to me, brandishing a flag, and tell me to stay in my car. He would not let me leave the car.

According to the US Embassy, drivers are not permitted to leave their cars. According to a very distressed Korean man, the Korean government, too, does not want people to leave their cars.

How am I misunderstanding the idea of drivers pulling over and not being permitted to move? It seems pretty clear that's what's expected if one reads the Embassy bulletin, and it sure seemed that way when the panicked Korean man ushered me back inside my car.

[isisaredead]

[Steelrails]

[Chokse]

A car is not going to offer any degree of protection from a concussion, unless it is far enough away from the source to not suffer serious damage anyway. A concussion strong enough to harm you (read close enough) will cause nearby objects (telephone poles, trees, parts of buildings) to collapse or fall. You, and your car, will be under these falling items. You, and your car, will be crushed, especially if you are parked and unable to maneuver.

The advice you are giving is as stupid as telling someone to park on the side of the road and stay in a car during a tornado. You seem to think that cheap metal and glass will somehow protect you.

The best course of action would be for drivers to exit their vehicles and seek shelter in approved bomb shelters, don't you think? Perhaps you have a better suggestion?

[Steelrails]

[Chokse]

First, I have yet to see a building or vehicle in this country with windows and doors that seal tightly enough to prevent chemical gasses from entering. I live in a fairly new apartment building with "insulated" windows and you can feel the air leaking in around them. This has been true of every place I've lived or worked in here.

Furthermore, cars are open to the outside air through the heating and cooling system, so a car will not offer any degree of protection against a chemical attack. The gas will get inside the car and you will die in your car.

Maybe (and it's a big maybe), one could suffer from heat concussion if one were outside one's vehicle. This begs the question, what about those who drive convertibles or motorcycles. Shouldn't the drill instruct those in convertibles or on motorcycles to leave their vehicles and go inside a building?

I'm back to my original point. There is no point to this drill because it does not actually make people practice what should be done during a "civil defense" emergency.

Finally, if anyone is dumb enough to sit on the road and allow the military to move in position, while you remain a sitting duck for whatever may come your way, then you deserve whatever happens to you. The smart people will say, as they turn their cars and start heading toward Busan, "Screw the K-military... I'm saving myself."

[Chokse]

By the way, I did consider it for a minute, but found it to be absolutely unacceptable. Happy now?

[Steelrails]

[Chokse]

You, Steelrails, were the one who said the drill was not only for the case of a bombardment, but also for a chemical or terrorist incident. Therefore, it is you who implied that stopping in a car can somehow offer a degree of protection against a chemical attack. Look back at your post.

Here's your direct quote:

"And again, it is a civil defense drill. A bombardment is one scenario. Another scenario may be a chemical or terrorist incident."

You opened the door to it being about chemical weapons and when I said a car would offer no protection from a chemical weapon attack, you said:

"no one said that cars were safe from chemical weapons. If you are in the lethal radius you're dead either way."

First you say the point of staying in the car is to protect against concussion blasts or chemical gasses, but then you say if there really is a chemical attack, a person in the car is dead anyway.

Pick one dude!

Also, thanks for making my point. You said, "It might work for one person, but for 20 million people it will not. In fact it would make things much much worse."

Everyone in Korea has been conditioned to stop their cars and wait, so I'll be that one person you speak of who is able to get out. Thanks for proving my plan will work.

[Steelrails]