Following a 5.4 magnitude quake in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday, demand for survival supplies has risen among Koreans.
One item that has surged in demand is a survival backpack kit that contains emergency essentials such as a first-aid kit, a Swiss Army knife, a flashlight and matches.
A soft shock-absorber hat (Left) and a survival backpack kit for emergency-preparedness (WeMakePrice/Yonhap)
According to Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo on Thursday, sales of the survival backpack kit rose by four times on Wednesday compared to the monthly sales average on 11th St, a major online shopping platform. Sales of emergency staples such as instant noodles and canned food also surged on the shopping platform on the day of the quake.
Tips on how to pack do-it-yourself survival backpacks are also trending on social media, with Koreans sharing photos of their own backpacks.
Posts showing do-it-your-self survival backpack kits appeared on Instagram after a major earthquake struck Pohang on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
Earthquake-specific safety items are also attracting attention among people alarmed by the quake. Major Korean shopping platforms, including Auction and WeMakePrice, responded to the quake by promoting earthquake-safety items, such as protective hats, on Wednesday.
A viral post on Auction’s Facebook page promoting a soft shock-absorber hat attracted over 7,500 likes and 180 shares within less than 24 hours.
Major Korean shopping platforms Auction and WeMakePrice, promoted soft shock-absorber hat items via Facebook after a major quake struck Pohang on Wednesday. (Official Facebook accounts of Auction and WeMakePrice)
Safety items related to earthquakes had also met with a fervent response for a short period after the earthquake in Gyeongju last year.
Korea has long been considered relatively safe from earthquakes, but the major quakes that struck Gyeongju last year and Pohang this year have raised the need for safety measures.
(mjk625@heraldcorp.com)
