116 "Time Bomb" Cavities Left Unattended Beneath Gwangju

84% of Discovered Sinkhole Causes in Gwangju Remain Unrepaired
Junho Jung: "Thorough Follow-up Management Needed to Prevent Accidents"

Junho Jung, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

A total of 872 underground cavities-holes in the ground that are a major cause of sinkholes-have been discovered nationwide, but 393 of them (45%) remain unaddressed, posing a threat to public safety. In particular, Gwangju has the highest rate of unrepaired cavities among metropolitan cities, with 116 out of 141 discovered (84%) still left unattended, highlighting the urgent need for countermeasures.

On October 12, Assemblyman Junho Jung of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Buk-gu Gap, Gwangju) analyzed data submitted by the Korea Infrastructure Safety and Technology Corporation for the National Assembly audit. The results showed that, over the past five years, 8,474 kilometers of underground inspections nationwide revealed these issues. By region, Gyeonggi Province had the most cavities at 219, followed by Gwangju with 141, but in Gwangju, only 25 cases (16%) have been addressed, raising significant concerns about the safety of citizens beneath their feet.

Even more concerning is that 74% (291 cases) of the 393 neglected cavities are classified as requiring emergency or priority repair. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s standard manual, cavities of 4.0 square meters or more must be repaired immediately as “emergency” cases, while those between 1.0 and 4.0 square meters must be repaired within three months as “priority” cases. The fact that so many urgent repairs are being neglected increases the risk of sinkhole incidents.

The main causes of sinkholes are water and underground construction. Direct causes of cavity formation include groundwater leakage from damaged old sewer pipes, heavy rainfall, and soil loss during subway or drainage construction. Since cavities are a precursor to sinkholes, prompt and proactive restoration by local governments upon discovery is a key preventive measure to avert large-scale loss of life and property.

Currently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has the authority to investigate areas at risk of ground subsidence but does not have the power to compel local governments or managing agencies to carry out repairs or reinforcements, exposing an institutional loophole. Local governments have often taken a passive approach to cavity management, frequently citing budget constraints.

Amid these circumstances, in September, the government officially designated large-scale damage caused by sinkholes as a “social disaster,” leading to increasing calls for local governments to take greater responsibility for accident prevention and response.

Assemblyman Jung emphasized, “Sinkholes are a disaster created by humans-and the only disaster that humans can prevent. We must establish thorough follow-up management, such as mandating that the Korea Infrastructure Safety and Technology Corporation be notified of the results after a cavity is found and addressed, to prevent sinkhole accidents-ticking time bombs beneath our feet-before they occur.”