Gwangju City Declares 'Special Safety Inspection Week' Until the 27th

Formation of 'Joint Inspection Team' Including City, Autonomous Districts, Affiliated Organizations, and Private Experts for Large-Scale Inspection

Comprehensive Inspection of 2,379 City Bus Stops on 101 Routes... Relocation of 3 Sites Planned
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Chrysanthemums have been laid at the incense altar set up in the Dong-gu Office parking lot to commemorate the victims of the building collapse in the Hakdong redevelopment area of Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Metropolitan City has declared a two-week period starting from the 14th as a ‘Special Safety Inspection Week’ and will conduct extensive on-site inspections in response to the recent series of accidents, including the building collapse in Dong-gu and the drowning of a child in Pungyeongjeongcheon, Gwangsan-gu.

On the afternoon of the 13th, Lee Yong-seop, head of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, held an online press conference and announced a ‘Joint Countermeasure by Related Agencies for the Prevention of Safety Accidents.’

The joint countermeasure meeting was attended by Mayor Lee Yong-seop, Dong-gu Mayor Im Taek, Seo-gu Mayor Seo Dae-seok, Nam-gu Mayor Kim Byeong-nae, Buk-gu Mayor Moon In, Gwangsan-gu Mayor Kim Sam-ho, Gwangju Urban Railway Corporation President Yoon Jin-bo, Gwangju Urban Corporation President Noh Kyung-soo, Gwangju Environment Corporation Chairman Kim Gang-yeol, Gwangju Metropolitan City Architectural Committee Structural Expert Choi Hyung-beom, and 119 Civil Engineering and Structure Team Leader Lee Sang-su, among others.

The mayor stated, “The building collapse accident in Dong-gu was a man-made disaster caused by comprehensive negligence and safety insensitivity at the construction site,” and added, “Once the cause of the accident is identified, we will strictly hold those responsible accountable and take necessary measures.”

He also declared, “Gwangju City will take this accident as an opportunity to make ‘citizen safety’ the top priority of city administration, establish the basics of safety properly, and prepare fundamental prevention measures to ensure that such accidents never recur.”

To this end, the city has declared the two weeks until the 27th as ‘Special Safety Inspection Week’ and formed joint inspection teams consisting of the city, five autonomous districts, affiliated organizations, and private experts.

They will conduct extensive on-site inspections of building and structure demolition sites, construction sites, areas prone to landslides and collapses during the rainy season, flood-prone areas, drowning risk facilities such as rivers, and other disaster-vulnerable facilities.

First, safety management measures implementation, consistency between demolition plans and on-site conditions, and other safety hazards will be inspected at 28 demolition sites within the jurisdiction.

For sites with issues, construction will be immediately halted and resumed only after sufficient supplementary measures are prepared. Additionally, safety across eight scheduled demolition sites and 63 general construction sites will be rigorously inspected; if safety measures are insufficient, construction will be stopped and resumed only after reliable countermeasures are established.

Second, disaster-vulnerable facilities such as steep slopes, drainage pump stations, and large construction sites, as well as 736 flood recovery sites, have been inspected twice since March and will continue to be regularly checked.

Third, a comprehensive inspection was conducted on 2,379 bus stops across 101 city bus routes. Currently, three locations, including Unam 3 Complex, have been identified as needing relocation, and relocation is underway. Continuous inspections will be conducted, and if hazards are found near bus stops, relocation will be promptly coordinated with the autonomous districts and bus associations.

Fourth, regarding Pungyeongjeongcheon, where a drowning accident occurred on the 12th, safety ropes for escape will be installed at all 16 stepping stone sites, and measures such as restricting stepping stone passage during rainfall and rising water levels will be implemented. A full survey and safety facility reinforcement will be carried out in similar accident-prone areas such as Gwangjucheon.

Fifth, for the urban railway Line 2 construction (a total of six sections and a vehicle depot) being extensively carried out throughout the city, special inspections are underway to prevent construction and traffic accidents. Experts will be added to conduct more precise safety inspections going forward.

Sixth, during the Special Safety Inspection Week, a ‘Citizen Emergency Safety Reporting Center’ will be operated. Citizens or workers at construction sites who discover safety hazards or illegal subcontracting can report via the smartphone app ‘Safe Report’ or the Gwangju Disaster Situation Room. Immediate on-site verification and action will follow. Especially during this week, senior officials including the mayor of Gwangju, five district heads, and heads of affiliated organizations will personally visit sites to inspect safety conditions.

Seventh, when safety accidents occur in the future, strict measures will be taken against responsible parties including the relevant agencies. Additionally, legal and institutional issues identified during this Special Safety Inspection Week will be proposed to the government and the National Assembly for early improvement. Matters requiring internal improvement will be promptly addressed in cooperation with the city council.

Eighth, special safety rule education will be conducted for supervisors and related personnel at workplaces, and a public campaign promoting compliance with safety rules will be launched.

The mayor pledged, “Our public officials reaffirm their infinite responsibility for citizen safety and recognize that without 100% implementation of safety, citizens’ lives cannot be protected. We will undertake preventive inspections and preemptive measures to an extent that may seem excessive,” and added, “We will take thorough preemptive action to fundamentally block any possibility of casualties by proactively responding to risky areas and facilities with even the slightest accident concerns.”

He also expressed, “Once again, I sincerely apologize to the victims and their families and regret causing concern to the citizens.”