Yangyang County to Conduct Void Investigation Around Major Beaches to Prevent Ground Subsidence Incidents

Establishing a Continuous Inspection System Tailored to Local Conditions

Yangyang County in Gangwon Province will conduct a void (cavity) investigation service on the ground surrounding major beaches until December 2025, in response to the growing demand for underground safety.

Aerial view of Yangyang County Office. Provided by Yangyang County

The county announced that, as a proactive measure against a series of ground subsidence incidents that have recently occurred in places such as Gangdong District in Seoul and Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province, it will carry out a void (cavity) investigation service on the ground surrounding major beaches where large-scale construction projects are underway.

During underground development processes near large construction sites, as well as around water and sewage pipelines, communication lines, and gas pipelines, insufficient management of groundwater or aging infrastructure can erode the surrounding soil or rock. The resulting underground empty spaces are referred to as sinkholes (or voids).

Yangyang County previously conducted a void investigation in 2024 on Naksan, Ingu, and Dongsan beaches. This year, the county plans to investigate Hajodae, Seorak, and Gwangjin beaches, as well as Gangseon-ri. Any voids discovered during the investigation will be subject to emergency restoration.

The county also plans to create a sinkhole safety map based on the collected sinkhole data. This map will include previous ground subsidence inspection data, results from the designation of natural disaster risk zones and flood-prone living areas, as well as urban and river flood maps. It will be used to prepare for potential future ground subsidence incidents.

A county official stated, "As ground subsidence incidents are increasing nationwide, it has become important to establish an administrative system for proactive prevention. We will continue to expand regular inspections of the ground surrounding large construction projects in beach areas where the ground is relatively weak, using the sinkhole safety map as foundational data and in line with the local conditions where large-scale construction is concentrated."