From now on, Type 2 and 3 facilities with low safety ratings or that are old must also undergo mandatory detailed safety inspections. The deadline to carry out required repair and reinforcement measures after safety checks and inspections will be shortened to three years from the current maximum of five years. The step follows the collapse of Jeongja Bridge in Bundang in 2023 and a retaining wall collapse in Osan in July.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said at a Cabinet meeting on the 25th that a partial revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Special Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Facilities (Facilities Safety Act) was approved. The revised decree takes effect Dec. 4.
The Enforcement Decree revision of the Facilities Safety Act was prepared to specify which entities must carry out mandated actions such as detailed safety inspections, emergency safety measures, and repairs and reinforcement, as delegated by the law, after the main act was amended in December last year to strengthen the safety management duties of facility managers.
Under current regulations, only Type 1 facilities are required to undergo detailed safety inspections. Going forward, Type 2 facilities rated D or E will also be required to undergo detailed safety inspections. Type 2 and 3 facilities rated C, D, or E that are 30 years or more since completion must also undergo mandatory detailed safety inspections.
Facilities are categorized into Types 1, 2, and 3 by type, size, and importance. Type 1 facilities refer to large-scale bridges, tunnels, ports, dams, and buildings that require special management or advanced technology for structural safety and maintenance. Type 2 facilities are those other than Type 1 with a high risk of disasters or that require continuous management, such as social infrastructure. Type 3 facilities are small-scale facilities other than Types 1 and 2 that require safety management.
Safety checks and inspections are made more rigorous in the order of regular inspection → detailed inspection → detailed safety inspection. Regular inspections are close visual checks, and detailed inspections use simple equipment. Detailed inspections conduct structural safety evaluations. Based on the results of safety checks and detailed safety inspections, five grades are assigned: A (excellent), B (good), C (fair), D (poor), and E (bad).
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) will shorten the deadline to fulfill obligations such as repairs and reinforcement from a maximum of five years to three years. To enable swift action on facility defects that could cause collapses, entities must begin repairs and reinforcement within one year after the obligation arises and finish within two years. The completion deadline can be extended in consultation with the Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) previously released an improvement plan for the facility inspection and diagnosis system as a follow-up measure to prevent a recurrence after the Jeongja Bridge collapse in 2023.
The government will also expand those surveyed by the Central Committee for Facility Accident Investigation. Under current rules, the committee can be formed when three or more people die, but the revision expands those surveyed to one or more deaths. Accordingly, when one or more deaths occur, the committee will be formed and operated to thoroughly determine the cause of the accident and prepare measures to prevent a recurrence.
Nam Yeong-u, director general for construction policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), said, "Preemptive safety management of old and vulnerable facilities is the foundation for protecting people's lives and safety," and added, "We will make every effort to ensure that facility managers fully comply with the obligations under the strengthened Facilities Safety Act and its enforcement decrees."