The Yonmenkaigi System Method for Disaster Restoration of a Local Community in Korea

This paper introduces the Yonmenkaigi System Method for creating collaborative action plans for community building to improve disaster restoration at the local community level using a participatory method. A Yonmenkaigi system method workshop was carried out in the Garisan-ri community, County of Inje, Province of Gangwon, Korea in 2012. The Garisan-ri community case shows how inhabitants who was damaged caused by the flood disaster in 2006 can collaboratively develop action plans of the Garisan-ri disaster education camp for their community restoration. The Yonmenkaigi System Method, originally designed in a local community in Japan, comprises four stages: clarifying the main theme by SWOT analysis, drawing up a Yonmenkaigi chart by four groups, debating to improve the implementation of collaborative action plans among four groups, and presenting joined-up action plan of the groups. A participatory workshop by the Yonmenkaigi System Method be summarized as follows; 1) Making collaborative action plans to carry out community building activities for disaster restoration, 2) Providing a sharing space between local community and local government, 3) Sharing vision among local community people for community building from the flood disaster, 4) Improving capacity of human resources in a local community.