Starting Oct. 2, ground subsidence (sinkholes) will be included as a type of social disaster. A legal basis has been established to receive compensation in cases of damage from sinkhole-related accidents.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on the 16th that a revision to the Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety, which includes these measures, was approved at a Cabinet meeting.
The key point of the revision approved that day is the creation of a new category under social disaster types for "large-scale damage caused by ground subsidence." Following existing categories such as fire, collapse, explosion, and traffic accidents, sinkhole accidents will also be classified as social disasters.
The revision follows continued loss of life and property due to sinkholes on roads and at construction sites. Local governments nationwide introduced citizen safety insurance in 2024 to compensate for damages caused by accidents in daily life.
However, in the case of sinkholes, insurance coverage was ambiguous. Because they were not classified as social disasters, there was no basis for compensation. The coverage clauses state that local governments compensate only for social disasters as defined by the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety.
Accordingly, decisions on support for sinkhole victims have been made at the discretion of local governments. Previously, the Seoul city government is known to have paid compensation in connection with a sinkhole accident in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong District, in which one person died, by applying the presidential decree's provision on "casualties requiring local government response."
Under the revision, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will oversee disaster management for sinkhole accidents. An official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said, "The disaster management obligations of relevant agencies, including inspections of facilities under their jurisdiction and education and training, will be strengthened, enabling swift response and recovery when damage occurs."
In addition, the Cabinet meeting approved another revision aimed at strengthening an integrated on-site disaster support system by specifying disaster prevention measures by local government heads for mass gatherings and designating support-implementing agencies. Accordingly, local government heads must conduct annual fact-finding surveys to prevent disasters and accidents caused by mass gatherings and may recommend event suspension and dispersal of crowds to organizers when necessary. The heads of the Central and Local Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters may also request the dispatch of personnel from support-implementing agencies such as Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and the National Health Insurance Service to support disaster victims and their families.
Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, said, "This revision focuses on strengthening the institutional foundation to respond systematically to ground subsidence and crowd crush incidents in line with the changing disaster environment," adding, "We will continue to reflect disaster patterns and on-site needs to build disaster management capabilities that meet public expectations."