The police have launched an investigation to determine the cause and responsibility for the collapse at the Gwangju Metropolitan Library construction site.
On December 12, the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it had begun a full-scale investigation, focusing on a dedicated task force to secure relevant materials and conduct legal reviews. The Criminal Investigation Unit and the Serious Accident Investigation Team have secured key documents from the construction company and related parties.
Given that poor construction at the steel structure joints has been cited as a major cause of the accident, the police plan to focus on whether the construction was carried out in accordance with the law. They are also investigating whether there was any bid-rigging during the selection of the company that owned the patented construction method for the unique exterior design.
The accident occurred at approximately 1:58 p.m. the previous day, when a steel structure collapsed during concrete pouring at the Gwangju Metropolitan Library construction site, located on the grounds of the former Sangmu Incineration Plant (waste treatment facility) in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju.
Two workers-a plasterer in his 40s and a rebar worker in his 70s-were killed after being buried under the debris. Two others-a plumber in his 50s and a rebar worker in his 60s-remain missing, as their conditions have not yet been confirmed.
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