Seoul begins emergency demolition of Seosomun overpass; aims for May 30 completion

Seoul city has begun the complete demolition of the Seosomun overpass, which experienced a partial collapse during earlier demolition work. The operation, expected to last 40 hours, aims to clear the remaining structures by 5 a.m. on May 30. This will allow for the reopening of Seosomun Road and the resumption of train services on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.

The city received approval for the demolition plan after a joint meeting with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and other relevant agencies on May 28. The plan includes preparatory safety measures, the demolition itself, and final cleanup, with the structural demolition estimated to take approximately seven hours.

Roads near the construction site will be fully closed from midnight to 3 p.m. on May 29 to facilitate the work. Seoul officials stated that the swift removal of the remaining structure is crucial for public safety and restoring normal traffic and train operations.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor approved Seoul's demolition plan with strict conditions regarding worker safety. The city will deploy four excavators equipped with crushers to dismantle the overpass from the outside, minimizing the need for workers to enter the demolition zone and eliminating the risk of further collapse during crane operations.

To mitigate potential debris fall and noise, air soundproof walls will be installed. Protective measures for the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and Seoul Subway Line 2 include ground-penetrating radar surveys and the placement of a 20-millimeter steel plate topped with over 2 meters of sand above the railway tracks to absorb impact.