Police have sought arrest warrants for 11 construction officials, including those from the builder and the supervision firm, in connection with the collapse at the Gwangju representative library construction site that killed four workers. It comes about six months after the accident.
According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency on the 9th, police applied for arrest warrants for 11 officials linked to the Gwangju representative library construction project on charges including occupational negligence resulting in death and violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
They are suspected of failing to fulfill their duty of care in safety management and during construction in connection with the accident in which a structure collapsed at around 1:58 p.m. on Dec. 11 last year at the new Gwangju representative library construction site in Chipyeong-dong, Seo District, Gwangju, killing four workers.
Police have been investigating the builder Guilt General Construction, subcontractors, the supervision firm, and officials at Gwangju City's General Construction Headquarters. Police conducted multiple raids on the builder's headquarters and site office, and on subcontractors, seizing mobile phones, construction-related documents, and electronic data.
During the investigation, indications of shoddy construction, including poor welding at structural joints and poor concrete placement, were also partially identified, according to reports. Concrete placement refers to the process of pouring concrete into a structure such as formwork.
City of Gwangju officials were reportedly not included among those for whom arrest warrants were sought. Police are said to have narrowed down the first group for detention based on the secured materials, appraisal results, and related statements.
The Gwangju representative library is a public library being built with two basement levels and two above-ground floors on the site of the former Sangmu incineration plant. The project cost was initially 39.2 billion won but has increased to 51.6 billion won due to rising material prices and construction delays.
Bereaved families and labor groups have demanded a fact-finding investigation and swift punishment of those responsible, saying the investigation has been delayed since the accident. Police plan to continue investigating the cause of the collapse and responsibility, while considering additional detentions even after applying for arrest warrants.