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Korea: Gwangmyeong Shinansan Line Tunnel Construction Collapses - One worker killed (Updated)
Reported by Chosun Biz that Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 11th that it has formed an accident response headquarters to respond to the collapse accident at the Shin Ansan Line underground tunnel construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Reports say collapse happened in the afternoon at around 15:00.
Initially two people were under collapse. One worker in his 20s was in an excavator and has been buried 30 meters underground. He was rescued 13 hours after collapse. Another worker missing. 17 Hours before the collapse there were already signs of cracks in the structure. Upon detection of cracks, construction stopped. Workers evacuated. But 2 people were effected when it collapsed 17 hours later.
Different sources says collapse occurred in 2Arch structure use where site is not wide and the middle support pillar is required.
Different sources say constructor is POSCO E&C.
Update: missing worker found dead:
The worker who was in his fifties has been found dead at 21 meter depth. Tunnel construction contractor company POSCO E&S said their condolences.
Early information sa pillar in the underground two-arch tunnel at the site was ‘broken’, not ‘cracked’ one day before.
https://www.redaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=12022
Update: Investigation committee prepared:
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to form Gwangmyeong 'Shin Ansan Line Collapse' Accident Investigation Committee. It is going to investigate the tunnel collapse for two months.
Committee is to have up to 12 experts in civil engineering, structure, soil and foundation, and quality.
source: https://news.nate.com/view/20250418n04134
Update: 18-4-2025
Korea National Railroad Corporation KR say in press release 1st Construction Standards Committee set up. Initiative follow tunnel construction accidents recent times.
National Railroad Corporation held the launching ceremony of the 1st Construction Standards Committee
-Rail planning, earthwork, civil engineering structure, tunnel and orbital sector 50
□ The National Railroad Corporation Construction Headquarters announced on the 18th that it organized the 1st Construction Standards Committee and held a launching ceremony at Daejeon headquarters for professional enactment and revision of railway construction standards and railway goods standards.
○ The committee consists of 50 industrial, academia, and research experts in the fields of railroad plans, earthwork, rescue, tunnels, and orbitals through public recruitment.
○ At the event, we held a time to discuss major improvement tasks for the establishment of international construction standards, such as upgrading the selection of underground stations, redefining the definition of terminology, and enacting specialized facility improvement work.
□ Son Byung -du, head of the Construction Division of the National Railroad Corporation, said, “We will actively discover improvements such as design and construction standards through the operation of the Construction Standards Committee and make efforts to promote Korea's railroad construction standards.”
The Ministry of Construction Headquarters, the Ministry of Construction Headquarters, the head of the department, Jin-Yong Park, the chief of the orbital soil (042-607-4742)
source: KR Press release https://www.kr.or.kr/boardCnts/view.do?boardID=52&boardSeq=1120784
Update 21-4-2025
Incheon Ilbo write three officials, including the head of safety management have been Indicted by Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency, which is investigating the collapse of the underground tunnel under construction. Indicted persons are accused of neglecting safety management responsibilities and from POSCO E & C, a contractor, and two subcontractors.
source: https://www.incheonilbo.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1286376
Update: 26-4-2025
Police raid POSCO E&C over collapse of subway construction site
Following collapse of tunnel construction which caused death of one worker and injuring of another, Police and labor authorities raided contractors POSCO E&C and its subcontractors.
Nine companies, including POSCO E&C's Incheon headquarters, field offices, developer Nextlane offices, subcontractors, supervisors, and measurement companies, will be eligible.
https://www.mk.co.kr/en/society/11301435
26-4-2025
'Shin Ansan Line Collapse' POSCO E&C, If Responsibility Determined, Losses in the Hundreds of Billions.
It is not certain of POSCO E&C's responsibility yet. Possible causes are ground conditions and construction errors. Investigation will take long time.
"The main issues surrounding POSCO E&C's responsibility are ▲whether appropriate construction methods and materials were used, and ▲whether the response was safe after signs of collapse were discovered."
Seven years before the collapse of the tunnel construction site, it was confirmed that the ground settlement was raised since the “environmental impact assessment”. "The ground survey showed that there are quite a few sections that Simto does not reach the depth of the actual tunnel section, making it difficult to grasp the actual ground condition."
https://m.news.nate.com/view/20250413n17738
Korea: Police raid POSCO E&C over collapse of subway construction site
Following collapse of tunnel construction which caused death of one worker and injuring of another, Police and labor authorities raided contractors POSCO E&C and its subcontractors.
Nine companies, including POSCO E&C's Incheon headquarters, field offices, developer Nextlane offices, subcontractors, supervisors, and measurement companies, will be eligible.
Police and Ministry of Labor Search and Seize POSCO E&C, etc. in Relation to ‘Shin Ansan Line Collapse’
'Shin Ansan Line Collapse' POSCO E&C, If Responsibility Determined, Losses in the Hundreds of Billions.
It is not certain of POSCO E&C's responsibility yet. Possible causes are ground conditions and construction errors. Investigation will take long time.
"The main issues surrounding POSCO E&C's responsibility are ▲whether appropriate construction methods and materials were used, and ▲whether the response was safe after signs of collapse were discovered."
'Shin Ansan Line Collapse' POSCO E&C, If Responsibility Determined, Losses in the Hundreds of Billions.
It is not certain of POSCO E&C's responsibility yet. Possible causes are ground conditions and construction errors. Investigation will take long time.
"The main issues surrounding POSCO E&C's responsibility are ▲whether appropriate construction methods and materials were used, and ▲whether the response was safe after signs of collapse were discovered."
cover tunnel photo by: Matt Brown from London, England / CC BY
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I hope the Korean authorities will thoroughly investigate and publish the causes of the collapse. I do not want to call it accident.