Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on the 24th visited the construction site of the Gwanghwamun deep drainage tunnel to check on progress.
Oh first reviewed the overall progress of the "deep drainage tunnel" project and toured the construction sites taking place above and below ground. Underground, the mayor also looked over the current work status and excavation process for the Gwanghwamun deep drainage tunnel.
Next, Oh inspected the "smart safety technology" being applied on-site and observed demonstrations of the smart integrated control system that tracks worker and equipment locations, the site CCTV, and wearable devices.
Oh's inspection was conducted to examine a key site in the large-scale disaster prevention infrastructure that Seoul is pursuing and to proactively review flood control measures for the summer.
Earlier, after a total of 515 millimeters of torrential rain fell across Seoul in Aug. 2022, the city announced plans to push ahead with the "deep drainage tunnel" project. The downpour left eight people dead, and 20,083 facility damage reports were filed.
Since then, Seoul has shifted its water management policy from post-disaster recovery to preemptive prevention and has strengthened disaster prevention capacity by building tailored systems for each area.
The city aims to build six deep tunnels in total, pursuing the project in two phases: phase one (around Gangnam Station, Gwanghwamun, and Dorimcheon) and phase two (around Sadang Station, Hangang-ro, and Gildong). The goal is to complete the phase-one sections by 2030. Once phase one is finished, including the already operating Sinwol deep tunnel, four locations will be able to store 1,328,000 tons of rainwater.
The area around Sadang Station will proceed separately as a private investment project (Isu–Gwacheon composite tunnel), with completion targeted for 2031. For the remaining phase-two zones, including Hangang-ro and Gildong, the city will begin a feasibility study and basic plan service in May 2025 and aims to finish by Mar. 2027.
Oh said, "If the deep-tunnel project, launched swiftly after the limits of existing infrastructure were exposed in 2022, is completed in 2030, we will secure a safer disaster prevention system," adding, "Through focused management of areas at risk of storm and flood damage, expansion of public-private governance, and stronger data-driven forecasting, we will surely achieve this year's policy goal of 'zero loss of life and minimal property damage.'"