After Series of Highway Accidents, Ministry of Land Launches Direct Inspections of Korea Expressway Corporation Regional Headquarters

Raising Awareness and Strengthening Management

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has launched a comprehensive on-site inspection of the regional headquarters of Korea Expressway Corporation to strengthen highway safety during the winter season. With a series of recent highway accidents heightening public anxiety, the ministry aims to directly check on-site management practices and block risk factors for accidents in advance.

Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are inspecting the safety management status of highways during winter on the 21st. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

On the 21st, the ministry announced that it will conduct inspections from this day until the 29th on 9 regional headquarters and 59 branch offices under Korea Expressway Corporation. Director General for Road Policy Lee Uje and the heads of five divisions within the Road Bureau will visit the sites in person, and the road construction division heads of the five Regional Offices of Construction and Management will also take part in the inspections.

This inspection is part of follow-up measures to the ministry's work report in December last year and the public institution work report in January this year. As a multi-vehicle collision on the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway on the 10th, in a section where de-icing agents had not been applied, resulted in the deaths of five people, the focus is on preventing similar accidents from recurring. The inspection will concentrate on the current status of winter safety management, including the prevention of black ice accidents, snow removal measures, and the prevention of secondary accidents.

On the 10th, a multi-vehicle collision occurred on the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway in Sangju, Gyeongbuk, resulting in multiple casualties. Officials are managing the damaged trucks caused by the accident. Photo by Yonhap News.

Next, the ministry will seek cooperation measures for accident and disaster situations by forming a road safety council between the Regional Offices of Construction and Management and Korea Expressway Corporation. Finally, it will also review measures to prevent corrupt practices, such as illegal subcontracting related to special-interest projects, which were pointed out in the work report.

Director General for Road Policy Lee Uje said, "Through this inspection, we will ensure that Korea Expressway Corporation, as a public institution, fulfills its responsibilities and provides safety management and services that meet public expectations," adding, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will continue to closely cooperate with public institutions to keep checking actual field operations and work together to make improvements that meet the public's expectations."