"Should We Watch the Ground While Walking?"... Customer Drop Due to Sinkhole Anxiety

Human Error Likely Cause of Accident
Need for Management, Including Replacement of Aging Pipelines

On the 25th, the sinkhole site near the intersection close to Daemyeong Elementary School in Gangdong-gu, Seoul was visited. The area toward the Daemyeong Elementary School intersection near the sinkhole was completely blocked off, and the anxiety among nearby residents was growing. Resident Park Seong-chan (39) said, "There was ground subsidence at Cheonho Rodeo Street a month ago, and workers took measures, but now that a major accident has occurred, I feel uneasy," adding, "I think I have to watch the ground carefully while walking." Parent Yoo Hyun-soo (40) of Daemyeong Elementary School said, "Since the large sinkhole is close to the apartment where I live and near many schools, I am worried," and added, "The cause must be thoroughly investigated."

On the 24th, a large sinkhole spanning four lanes occurred at an intersection near Daemyeong Elementary School in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. On the 25th, the area around the accident site is being cordoned off. One passenger car and one motorcycle fell into the sinkhole, and one occupant of the passenger car was transported to a nearby hospital. Currently, one motorcycle rider is buried under the sinkhole. The depth is estimated to be 30 meters. 2025. 03. 25 Photo by Yoon Dong-ju

Nearby shops were in a state of temporary closure. The road was blocked, leaving the parking lot of a cold noodle restaurant empty, and the only customers during lunchtime were police officers, firefighters, and reporters. The cold noodle restaurant owner Yoo Jeong-jae (53) said, "Since the accident happened last evening, we haven't had a single customer," and added, "I'm worried about the drop in sales, so I hope the restoration work is carried out as soon as possible." The owner of a nearby flower shop in their 70s said, "Since no one can come or go, we didn't receive a single customer in the morning," and expressed concern, "I can't sell anything, and I'm worried the flowers will all wither." The car center owner sighed, saying, "A customer who said they would visit in the morning canceled," and added, "The road closure has completely cut off customers."

A man in his 30s who fell into the sinkhole was found in cardiac arrest on the 24th. The sinkhole measures 20 meters in diameter and 20 meters in depth. The Gangdong Police Station in Seoul plans to check whether the construction company that carried out the road work violated any related regulations.

On the 24th, a large sinkhole spanning four lanes occurred at an intersection near Daemyeong Elementary School in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. On the 25th, the area around the accident site is being cordoned off. One passenger car and one motorcycle fell into the sinkhole, and one occupant of the passenger car was transported to a nearby hospital. Currently, one motorcycle rider is buried under the sinkhole. The depth is estimated to be 30 meters. 2025. 03. 25 Photo by Yoon Dong-ju

This sinkhole accident is highly likely to have been caused by 'people.' Most previous accidents were similar. According to the Underground Safety Information System of the Korea Infrastructure Safety & Technology Corporation, there have been 115 cases of ground subsidence in Seoul over the past 10 years (2016?2025). Among them, 51 cases were caused by damaged sewage pipes, 19 by poor soil compaction, 16 by faulty excavation work, and 14 by damaged water pipes.

Recently, large-scale accidents caused by human negligence, including safety insensitivity, have continued to occur. The Muan Airport disaster at the end of last year was caused by a bird strike that led to the failure of the landing gear (wheels and other devices necessary for takeoff and landing), raising controversy over the airport built in a migratory bird habitat and the airline's poor maintenance. The monstrous wildfires ravaging the Gyeongbuk region spread due to arson by visitors paying respects at ancestral graves, garbage burning, and field burning, combined with dry spring weather and strong winds.

Experts emphasize the need for proactive preventive measures. Professor Lee Young-joo of the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at Kyungil University said, "Ground subsidence caused by aging or ruptured water and sewage pipes highlights the importance of water supply management," adding, "As aging pipelines increase, even if no abnormal signs appear, there is a need for regular management such as replacing old pipes."

Former Professor Je Jin-joo of the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at the University of Seoul also said, "If pipes are suspended in the air after digging the ground, one should have considered the possibility of water pipes bursting," and added, "Measures such as installing supports or safely paving the road should have been taken."