Jung Cheong-rae, chairman of the Democratic Party, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the recent collapse of the Seosomun overpass and the missing rebar in the GTX-A line section at Samseong Station. "We must ensure that such incidents do not happen again by implementing effective preventive measures," he stated.
On the morning of May 28, Jung convened an emergency forum with members of the Democratic Party's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and the Administrative Safety Committee. He remarked, "To move toward a safer South Korea, we need to reassess our entire safety management system from top to bottom."
He explained the forum's purpose, saying, "This is a critical issue that threatens the lives and safety of Seoul's citizens, and we must diagnose the causes to prevent similar accidents in the future." He added, "Those responsible must be held accountable."
Jung also highlighted the need for legislative action, stating, "It was shocking to hear that there is no law regarding the dismantling of SOC (social overhead capital) in South Korea. This underscores the reality we face. We will review everything from immediate actions to long-term needs and take the lead in legislation and policy."
After the forum, lawmaker Yoon Geon-young told reporters, "We discussed the issues arising from the lack of specific laws or procedures related to SOC dismantling. We will work on creating legislation and institutional improvements at the National Assembly level."
Lawmaker Cheon Jun-ho criticized the Seoul city government's approach, saying, "There have been repeated safety issues at construction sites recently commissioned by the city. The belief that 'what the city does must be safe' has been shattered. Despite this, the city's attitude has been overly complacent."
He continued, "The Seosomun collapse is also a reflection of safety negligence. Inspections were conducted without adequate safety measures, and there are concerns that the city approved the dismantling plan without sufficient review, selecting the construction company just six days later."
Cheon concluded, "We can no longer rely solely on the city; we will discuss measures with the government."
The forum was attended by lawmakers from the Administrative Safety Committee, including Yoon Geon-young, Mo Gyeong-jong, Park Min-kyu, Oh Gi-hyeong, Lee Hae-sik, and Chae Hyun-il, as well as Yeom Tae-young from the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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