The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency stated on the 25th that they are conducting a search and seizure at the headquarters of POSCO Engineering & Construction, the construction company, and at the construction site office in relation to the tunnel collapse accident at the Shin-Ansan Line in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
More than 90 individuals, including labor inspectors from the Seongnam branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor and police from the Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency, have been conducting searches since 9 a.m. at the headquarters and site offices of the general and subcontractors, including POSCO Engineering & Construction.
Earlier, on the 11th, the construction site of the Shin-Ansan Line in Gwangmyeong collapsed, resulting in the death of one worker. In response, on the 17th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor initiated an investigation into potential violations of major industrial disaster regulations against POSCO Engineering & Construction. Additionally, the Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency's dedicated investigation team for the collapse of the Shin-Ansan Line, which had been investigating charges of professional negligence causing death, has criminally charged three individuals related to this accident.
An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor noted, "Through this search, we plan to closely examine the cause of the tunnel collapse, compliance with safety regulations, and the overall obligations of corporations to ensure safety and health." The official added that the Seongnam branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor will quickly investigate based on the evidence obtained from the search and thoroughly clarify the cause of the accident and the accountability.