Demolition work on the Seosomun overpass will resume after the upper deck collapsed, leaving six dead or injured. The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) approved resuming the demolition on the condition that "worker safety measures are put in place." It comes two days after the collapse.
The Seoul Western District Office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) on the 28th convened a committee to review lifting the work stoppage and conditionally approved the demolition plan submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Around 2:30 a.m. on the 26th, while cutting the slab (the topmost concrete plate of the bridge) of the overpass, part of the slab collapsed during a safety inspection into a 2.9-centimeter settlement that had occurred, killing three construction officials and injuring three public officials. At the time, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) issued an immediate order to stop work after the accident.
An official at the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) said, "Lifting a work stoppage usually takes time," but noted, "This time, additional safety issues could arise and train operations could be affected, so we consulted with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and decided to resume work conditionally." The official added, "Since work has resumed, we will manage the site to ensure worker safety without additional accidents."
At 9 a.m. the previous day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held a joint meeting with related agencies, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), and the police. The meeting discussed demolition methods and safety measures, and reportedly carried out work to confirm safety. According to the city, the dismantling work is expected to take about 40 hours. Looking at the specific work plan, ▲ removal of aerial scaffolding 6 hours ▲ demolition of section S9 24 hours ▲ restoration of the catenary line 10 hours ▲ demolition of section S8 8 hours.