Gwangju Hakdong Disaster Responsible Party Receives Reduced Sentence on Appeal

Appeals Dismissed for Four Hyundai Industrial Development Officials
Fines Upheld

The individuals responsible for the collapse of a building under demolition in Hakdong 4 District, Dong-gu, Gwangju, which resulted in 17 casualties, received reduced sentences in their appeals trial.

Bouquets and handwritten notes mourning the victims are placed on the road opposite the site of the collapsed building demolition accident in the Hakdong4 redevelopment area, Donggu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 21st, the Gwangju High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Park Junghoon) overturned the original verdict in the appellate sentencing trial for three people charged in connection with the Gwangju Hakdong disaster on charges including occupational negligence resulting in death and violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, sentencing them to up to two years and six months in prison.

The 'Hakdong Collapse Disaster' refers to the incident on June 9, 2021, when a five-story building with one basement floor collapsed at a demolition site in Hakdong 4 District, Gwangju, crushing a city bus, resulting in nine deaths and eight injuries.

The defendants include Cho (51), the CEO of Baeksol Construction, a subcontractor whose excavator was operating at the time of collapse; Kang (32), the site manager of Hansol Enterprise, a subcontractor; and Cha (63), the demolition supervisor who failed to conduct any on-site inspections.

The appellate court overturned the original sentences and reduced them as follows: from three years and six months, two years and six months, and one year and six months in prison to two years and six months, two years, and one year and six months in prison, each suspended for three years. Cho and Kang had their bail revoked and were taken into custody following the sentencing.

The court stated, "The sentencing took into account that settlements were reached with the victims or that the defendants admitted to and reflected on their crimes."

Meanwhile, the appellate court dismissed the appeals for four Hyundai Development Company (Hyundai Industrial Development) officials who were also tried as responsible parties in the disaster. Seo (61), the site manager for the main contractor Hyundai Industrial Development, received a two-year prison sentence suspended for three years and a fine of 5 million won. Kim (61), the safety manager, and Noh (57), the public works manager, each had their one-year suspended prison sentences maintained.

The remaining individual whose appeal was dismissed is Kim (53), the site manager for Dawon ENC, which handled asbestos removal as a subcontractor. He had previously been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for three years. The original fines for the three related companies were also upheld: Hyundai Industrial Development was fined 20 million won, and Hansol and Baeksol were each fined 30 million won.