Prosecutors Seek Arrest Warrants for 7 Including Contractor, Supervisory Team, and Client Officials in Cheongju Osong Underpass Disaster (Comprehensive)

The prosecution has requested arrest warrants for seven individuals, including the construction company and the supervisory team leaders, in connection with the Osong Underpass disaster in Cheongju, Chungbuk, which resulted in 25 casualties.

The Osong Underpass Flooding Investigation Headquarters of the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office (headed by Chief Prosecutor Bae Yong-won) announced on the 7th that they have requested arrest warrants on charges including professional negligence causing death and injury against four people, including the construction company’s construction manager and the head of the supervisory team, as well as three officials from the client agency, the Administrative City Construction Agency, including a section chief and a construction manager, related to the unauthorized demolition of the existing Miho River embankment and poor construction of the temporary embankment.

On the morning of July 18, police forensic investigators are searching for victims' belongings at the search and rescue site of Gungpyeong 2 Underpass in Osong-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, which was flooded due to the collapse of the Miho River embankment.

On July 15, at the Gungpyeong 2 Underpass in Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, heavy rain caused the Miho River embankment to break, allowing river water to flood in and submerge 17 vehicles including city buses. The accident resulted in 14 deaths and 11 injuries, totaling 25 casualties.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination stated in an inspection report released 13 days after the accident that "the unauthorized demolition of the existing embankment under the Miho River Bridge and the construction of a substandard temporary embankment, along with the failure to properly monitor and supervise these actions, were the primary causes of this accident."

Following a request for investigation from the Office for Government Policy Coordination concerning 36 individuals from seven organizations including Chungbuk Province, Cheongju City, and the Administrative City Construction Agency, the prosecution formed an investigation headquarters with Cheongju District Prosecutor Bae Yong-won as the head and Jung Hee-do, head of the Inspection Division 1 at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, as deputy head, and has been conducting the investigation.

A prosecution official stated, "Since receiving the investigation request for 36 individuals from seven organizations from the Office for Government Policy Coordination in July, the investigation headquarters has been conducting a thorough and meticulous investigation including on-site inspections, technical appraisals, expert consultations, forensic analysis, and questioning of over 200 related persons."