Pohang City Launches Ground Survey to Prevent Sinkholes... Full Efforts to Eliminate Risks in Advance

Immediate Restoration for Small Voids,
Detailed Cause Analysis and Repair for Larger Sections

Pohang City will conduct Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys on road sections at risk of ground subsidence (sinkholes) to prevent recent consecutive incidents.

Exploration site using ground-penetrating radar. Provided by Pohang City

This measure comes as sinkhole accidents are occurring frequently nationwide, increasing public anxiety, and Pohang City is taking proactive steps to ensure citizen safety.

From April to May, the city plans to use GPR equipment to precisely detect the location and size of underground cavities (voids) that may form beneath the roads.

If small cavities are found as a result of the survey, immediate restoration will be carried out. For larger cavities or sections with potential structural issues, excavation investigations will be conducted in parallel to analyze the causes in detail before proceeding with repair work.

Through this survey, Pohang City aims to prevent ground subsidence accidents in advance and protect the lives and property of its citizens. The scientific data collected will also be used as a foundation for establishing future underground safety management plans.

Shim Jaeyong, head of the Road Facilities Division, stated, "This GPR survey is a proactive measure to diagnose and respond to potential underground risks in advance. We will thoroughly inspect even invisible dangers to strengthen the safety net for citizens and do our best to build a sustainable city."

The city also asked for citizens' understanding and cooperation, as temporary traffic inconveniences may occur on some roads due to equipment operation and road inspections during the survey period.