"Preventing 'Sinkholes' Before the Rain... Proactive Inspections at 61 Large Excavation Sites"

Active Use of Investigative Authority by Korea Land and Infrastructure Safety Corporation
Exploration of High-Risk Ground Subsidence Areas in Gwangju, Seoul, and Other Regions

The Korea Land and Infrastructure Safety Corporation will conduct intensive inspections of large-scale excavation sites to prevent ground subsidence accidents that may occur during heavy summer rainfall.

On June 2, the corporation announced, "We plan to conduct special inspections at 61 large excavation sites nationwide by the end of this month." The target sites include 12 in Gwangju, 11 in Seoul, 8 in Gyeonggi, 6 in Jeonnam, and 5 in Gangwon. Sites classified as high-risk by each local government have been given priority for inspection.

Large-scale excavations that are deep and wide pose a high risk of ground subsidence. In particular, areas near aging sewage pipes or underground structures are more likely to experience accidents, and during heavy rainfall, these risks can lead to subsidence incidents.

Preparing vehicle-mounted Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) equipment for ground investigation. Provided by the Korea Land and Infrastructure Safety Corporation.

Starting this year, the corporation has increased the frequency of ground investigations in areas classified as high-risk by local governments from once to twice a year. In particular, the length of ground investigations near aging sewage pipes has been expanded by 70%, from 1,041.7 kilometers last year to 1,780 kilometers this year.

In addition, following last month's revision of the Underground Safety Act, the corporation plans to actively utilize its newly granted authority to conduct on-site investigations in ground subsidence risk areas. Proactive investigations will be carried out in adjacent and intersecting risk areas, sections with frequent civil complaints, and areas identified by expert assessments.

Within this month, the corporation also plans to produce and distribute a video outlining inspection guidelines and procedures to help citizens easily identify and report suspected ground subsidence areas.

Kim Ilhwan, president of the corporation, stated, "We will expand proactive investigations to prevent recurring ground subsidence accidents during periods of heavy rainfall and to alleviate public anxiety."

Inspecting with an automatic type 3-dimensional (3D) ground survey equipment for narrow areas. Provided by the Korea Land and Housing Safety Management Institute