Investigation Accelerates into Gwangju Representative Library Collapse... 22 Including City Officials Booked

Search and Seizure at City General Construction Headquarters
Focusing on the Appropriateness of Administrative Supervision

Kim Seungryong, Acting Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, is inspecting the site of the collapse accident at the new construction site of Gwangju Representative Library on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News

The police, who are investigating the collapse accident at the new construction site of the Gwangju Representative Library that resulted in four fatalities, are accelerating their compulsory investigation, including conducting a search and seizure at Gwangju City Hall.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency’s investigation headquarters (Criminal Task Force) announced that around 9 a.m. on January 15, they dispatched about 20 investigators to the Gwangju City General Construction Headquarters to conduct a search and seizure. The police secured evidence such as internal network communication records and documents related to the construction project to verify the appropriateness of the administrative supervision process.

In connection with this accident, the police have booked a total of 22 individuals, including officials from Gu-Il General Construction, subcontractors, and Gwangju city officials, on charges such as occupational negligence resulting in death or injury. Additionally, 24 people have been banned from leaving the country.

Previously, the police conducted five rounds of search and seizure at construction companies and on-site offices, securing and analyzing materials covering the entire process of design, construction, and supervision. The police plan to comprehensively review the analysis of seized materials, as well as the findings from the National Forensic Service and relevant academic societies, to ultimately determine the cause of the accident and identify those responsible.

A police official stated, "We will thoroughly investigate not only the direct cause of the collapse but also any structural issues and illegal activities during the construction process," adding, "Based on scientific analysis, we will ensure all parties responsible for the accident are held accountable."

Meanwhile, the Gwangju Representative Library collapse occurred at around 1:58 p.m. on December 11 of last year at the site of the former Sangmu Incineration Plant in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu. At the time, with construction progress at about 72 percent, a structure collapsed, burying and killing four workers. The project, with a total budget of 51.6 billion won, was being built as a two-story underground and two-story above-ground facility.