[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“Joint investigation begins at Anseong Bridge collapse site, focusing on cause of accident” 28 February 2025

A joint investigation has begun on 28 February to determine the cause of the recent 'Seoul-Sejong Expressway Section 9 Bridge Deck Collapse', which resulted in ten casualties.

On the morning of 25 February, at approximately 9:49 AM, the bridge deck collapsed at a construction site for the Cheonyongcheon Bridge on the 9th section of the Seoul-Sejong Expressway, located in Sanpyeong-ri, Seowoon-myeon, Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province.

As a result of the collapse, ten male workers, aged between 40 and 60 (seven South Korean and three Chinese), who were working on the bridge at the time, fell approximately 52 meters to the ground, becoming trapped under the concrete rubble.

Although all workers were rescued, tragically four men (two South Korean and two Chinese) lost their lives, while the remaining six suffered injuries of varying severity and are receiving treatment in hospital.

...

In a report published on 27 February by Chosun Ilbo, Hyundai Engineering, the contractor in charge of the project, issued an official statement through its CEO, Ju Woo-jeong. The company expressed its profound sorrow over the incident, stating: "This was an accident that should never have occurred, resulting in the tragic loss of precious lives and injuries. We offer our deepest apologies to the bereaved families." CEO Ju added, "We are fully mobilising all available resources to assist the victims and manage the aftermath, and we are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities to ensure swift site recovery and a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident."