[On-site+] Disaster Area Declaration Fails, Controversy Grows Over Seongnam City's 'Month-Long Concealment'

Seongnam-si Jeongja Bridge Pedestrian Path Collapse Accident Site Photo by Yonhap News

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province has been criticized for its complacent administration as it was revealed that the city concealed for nearly a month the news that the government's rejection of its request for a 'disaster area declaration' following the collapse accident on the Jeongja Bridge pedestrian walkway.

On the 24th of last month, Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin held a press conference in person and requested the government to declare a disaster area and provide financial support, focusing on government aid for the Jeongja Bridge and the bridges around Tancheon Stream.

However, on the 28th, just four days later, the government sent an official letter stating that Seongnam City's request for a disaster area declaration was 'a demand that does not meet the criteria' and did not accept the proposal.

The problem arose thereafter. The consensus is that once the request was denied, the city should have informed the anxious citizens of the circumstances and sought their understanding. Additionally, although government support was difficult, the city should have announced plans to prioritize safety measures by reducing budgets and adjusting project priorities as a way to share the burden for safety.

Furthermore, it is argued that the city should have actively collaborated with local members of the National Assembly to seek national funding support.

However, having 'missed the opportunity' on all these fronts, Seongnam City now faces the situation of having to secure 160 billion KRW on its own for the reconstruction costs of the Tancheon bridge pedestrian walkway. Since all disaster funds have already been used, it is reported that the city is reviewing its entire budget, including suspending various projects to raise the necessary funds.

Separately, since the 10th of last month, Seongnam City has urgently installed 1,180 'jack supports'?structures that prevent collapse?on 17 bridges over Tancheon at a cost of 500 million KRW. Jack supports serve to prevent cracks or collapse even when excessive loads and vibrations are applied to the bridge deck structures.

However, as the rainy season approaches and concerns about washouts arise, the city decided to spend an additional 3.8 billion KRW to install ㅁ-shaped precast concrete blocks measuring 3 meters wide, 2.5 meters high, and 3 meters long. These blocks are used as pedestrian pathways under bridges or road drainage channels, as well as for utility tunnels such as joint ducts, power ducts, and communication ducts. This double installation of collapse prevention structures, initially as a temporary measure, is likely to draw criticism.