The movie 'Gisaengchung' was reality... Flooding and deaths trapped in low-lying areas

Neighbors evacuated at 7 PM but... tragedy due to two-hour delay
"This is a neighborhood of the poor... people excluded from society gather here"
8m elevation difference between nearby expensive apartments and the site where a family tragedy occurred
"We must rethink the role of 'home' beyond semi-basements"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 8th, in a semi-basement of a building in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, three family members?Mr. A (47), his older sister (48), and his daughter (13)?tragically lost their lives due to heavy rain. They informed an acquaintance that water was suddenly rising and reported the situation to the police and fire department. However, the house was already filled with water, and although firefighters found them after drainage operations, they were deceased. Mr. A’s mother, who lived with them, was receiving medical treatment at a hospital and thus avoided the tragedy.

According to reports, the semi-basement home was flooded not by water coming from outside but by water backing up through the indoor drainage system. Six households live in the semi-basement of this building, and it is known that other households’ drains also experienced backflow. Neighbors came outside around 7 p.m. due to the sudden rising water, but the victims realized the danger too late. The family tried to open the front door, but water had already risen outside as well, and the water pressure prevented them from pushing it open. They then attempted to escape through narrow windows, but this also failed, leading to the tragic outcome.

The Lowest Among Low Semi-Basements... Residents Say "It Was a Foreseen Death"

On the 8th, the family living next door to the one who suffered a tragedy due to flooding in a semi-basement in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, was also pumping out water.
Photo by Gong Byung-sun mydillon@

Residents explained that their heartbreaking deaths were foreseen. The neighborhood is adjacent to Dorimcheon Stream and is low-lying, making it prone to flood damage. The local community leader testified that during heavy rains, he would go around the village waking up elderly people living alone. In fact, not only the building where the family lived but also neighboring buildings were wiping water off their floors due to flood damage. Resident Mr. Kang (70) said, "Although Mr. A’s sister has an intellectual disability, I remember she had no mobility issues," adding, "They suffered the tragedy because they were unable to respond for about two hours."

Poor people mainly lived in this place where one could die if not careful. A nearby real estate agent, Mr. Park, referred to the area where the family lived as a ‘neighborhood of the poor’ and explained that the semi-basement where the family lived had a deposit of about 20 million KRW and a monthly rent of 350,000 KRW. It is a perfect home for those who must live in downtown Seoul but have no money. Mr. Park said, "Most people who come to rent semi-basements in this neighborhood are either basic livelihood security recipients or Joseonjok (ethnic Koreans from China)," adding, "People excluded from society gather here and experience things that would never happen in wealthy neighborhoods." In fact, Mr. A’s sister is a basic livelihood security recipient.

Concerns About the Semi-Basement Housing Type... "Political Circles Do Not Consider the Role of 'Home'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Comparing with the most expensive apartment nearby, their low location was clearly evident. The ‘Sillim Prugio 1st Phase,’ which recently recorded a sale price of about 1.05 billion KRW, is about a 15-minute walk from where the family tragedy occurred. However, the elevation difference between these locations was about 8 meters, roughly equivalent to about 2.8 floors in an apartment. A nearby real estate agent, Mr. Han (52), said, "Sillim Prugio 1st Phase is located on higher ground, so even the basement level 2 was not flooded," adding, "If this place floods, the lower neighborhoods would already be submerged."

There is a call for reconsideration of the semi-basement housing type. The phrase "If you are poor, you have to live in a semi-basement" is irresponsible. Professor Kim Kwang-hyun of Seoul National University’s Department of Architecture said, "This problem can be solved by considering how the public sector will intervene in the market logic of supply and demand," adding, "The political circles, which have not considered how to secure housing over the long term and, above all, what role a home should play for people, must take responsibility."