Special Inspection of All 360 Sites Begins on the 7th
Administrative Actions and Training for Violations
Institutional Reforms to Prevent Recurrence
Following a fatal accident caused by a building collapse at a demolition construction site in Jegi 4 District, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, concerns over the safety of demolition sites have grown. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will conduct a special inspection over a four-week period.
On May 7, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will carry out a special inspection of 360 demolition sites with permits or notifications from district offices, from May 7 to June 5. The inspection will be conducted jointly by city and district officials, as well as external experts in structural engineering and construction.
The aim is to prevent safety accidents at demolition sites in advance and to fundamentally eliminate structural problems such as poor construction, inadequate supervision, and illegal subcontracting.
The city will focus on inspecting overall safety management and supervision practices at demolition sites, while also concurrently checking for illegal subcontracting.
For demolition site safety management, the inspection will focus on whether heavy equipment operations and temporary structures are being carried out in accordance with the demolition plan, as well as the appropriateness of permits and contracts related to demolition. For demolition supervision, the inspection will focus on whether supervisors are stationed on site and possess proper qualifications, whether appropriate supervisors are assigned during mandatory inspection points in the demolition process, and whether photographic and video records are being taken and properly stored.
Regarding illegal subcontracting, the inspection will focus on unqualified subcontractors, re-subcontracting and bulk subcontracting, compliance with requirements such as the appropriateness of subcontracting, and whether subcontracting notifications have been properly made.
The city will apply a zero-tolerance policy during this special inspection. In the event of a serious violation, construction will be immediately halted, corrective orders will be issued, and strong administrative actions will be enforced in accordance with relevant laws. Supervisors found to have engaged in poor demolition supervision will be excluded from the city’s list of designated demolition supervisors and face strengthened disciplinary measures.
Based on the results of this special inspection, the city will also pursue institutional improvements and enhanced safety training across all aspects of demolition work, including strengthening qualification requirements for demolition contractors. Efforts will be focused on preventing repeat violations and improving the overall safety of demolition sites.
The city plans to implement institutional reforms across all aspects of demolition construction, permitting, and supervision, including strengthening qualification requirements for demolition contractors, making safety training mandatory for demolition workers (such as heavy equipment operators), establishing stronger on-site verification measures when preparing demolition plans, and appointing experienced review committee members for demolition-related matters.
Starting in the second half of this year, the city will establish a “Demolition Site Regular Inspection Team” and, together with district offices, conduct weekly on-site inspections to proactively address risk factors.
Kim Seungwon, Director of Construction Technology Policy for the city, stated, “This special inspection is an extraordinary measure to eliminate safety blind spots at demolition sites,” adding, “Seoul will make every effort to fundamentally prevent poor construction and safety accidents, and to create a safe city where citizens can feel secure.”
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