Search for Two Missing Workers Prolonged
Gwangju City: "Rescue is Top Priority, All Administrative Resources Mobilized"
Mayor Kang and Eight Senior Officials Notify City Council of Absence
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijung was unable to attend both his book publication event and the final plenary session of the city council in order to focus on managing the aftermath of the collapse accident at the new Gwangju Representative Library construction site. As the search for the two missing individuals continues, the city administration's full capacity is being concentrated at the accident site.
On the 12th, the second day after the collapse accident at the new Gwangju Representative Library construction site, rescue authorities continued search operations by deploying cranes to clear the area around the buried site at the construction site in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Gwangju Fire Department
On the morning of the 12th, the City of Gwangju notified the city council that eight officials, including Mayor Kang, the Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs, the Director of the Citizens' Safety Office, the Director of the Culture and Sports Office, the Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau, the Spokesperson, the Director of the General Construction Headquarters, and the Director of the Fire and Safety Headquarters, would be absent. On this day, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy Kim Youngmun attended the plenary session on behalf of the mayor and acted as the interim mayor.
City Council Chair Shin Sujeong expressed her grief, saying, "It is heartbreaking that precious lives have been lost due to the collapse accident," and requested, "Please deploy all available personnel and equipment so that every missing person can be rescued."
This is the second time Mayor Kang has canceled his attendance at a plenary session due to disaster response, the first being in July when record heavy rains caused damage throughout Gwangju.
On the 12th, the second day after the collapse accident at the new Gwangju Representative Library construction site, a family member of a missing person is responding to reporters' questions in front of the accident site in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Song Bohyun
The accident occurred at 1:58 p.m. the previous day at the Gwangju Representative Library construction site in Sangmu District, when a structure collapsed during the pouring of concrete on the rooftop floor. Four workers were buried; two were rescued but died, and rescue operations are ongoing for the remaining two. Although about 400 personnel from the fire department and related agencies have been deployed, the search is facing difficulties due to the complex entanglement of debris and the risk of further collapse.
The Gwangju Representative Library is a public library under construction on the former Sangmu Incineration Plant site (10,200 square meters), with a total floor area of 11,286 square meters (two basement floors and two above-ground floors). The project budget has increased from the original 39.2 billion won to 51.6 billion won due to rising material costs and construction delays.
On this day, the City of Gwangju stated in a written briefing by the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, "We are currently prioritizing the rescue of the buried workers and focusing all administrative resources on this task."
Mayor Kang took command at the site immediately after the accident, and the city plans to accelerate the search after ensuring the structural stability of the site with the help of experts. Additionally, the city has launched an emergency inspection of major construction sites commissioned by Gwangju and is also providing support and psychological counseling for the families of the victims.
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