Labor Ministry forms response team for Seoul bridge collapse, vows thorough investigation

The South Korean government has established an industrial accident response headquarters following the collapse of the Seosomun elevated road during demolition work in Seoul. Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon has ordered a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.

Immediately after the collapse on May 26, officials from the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Administration and the Seoul Western District Office, along with labor inspectors, were dispatched to the site. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that work at the site was immediately halted. Lee Min-jae, the ministry's Industrial Safety and Health Policy Director, and Oh Young-min, Director of the Safety and Health Supervision Bureau, were also sent to the scene to assist in the accident response.

The ministry and the Seoul Western District Office have set up central and regional response headquarters to investigate the accident's causes and manage the aftermath. Minister Kim Young-hoon emphasized the need for a "thorough investigation into the structural causes of the accident and swift recovery efforts."

The elevated road, located in Seodaemun District, Seoul, had been classified as having a D-grade safety rating and was undergoing demolition when a section of the structure collapsed around 2:33 PM, falling onto the road below. The incident resulted in casualties, with three people confirmed dead and three others injured. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is leading the investigation to determine the exact cause and prevent future occurrences.

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Thoroughly investigate the structural causes of the accident and swiftly recover from it.