SEOUL, December 14 (AJP) -The final missing worker in a deadly construction accident at a public library site in Gwangju was found dead Saturday, bringing the total death toll to four, authorities said.
The body of a 58-year-old worker, identified only by his surname Kim, was recovered at around 11:20 a.m., two days after part of the structure collapsed during construction. Earlier Saturday, another worker, surnamed Ko, was found dead at around 1:03 a.m. Two others were confirmed dead on Thursday, the day of the accident.
All four victims were Korean nationals and technicians employed by a subcontractor involved in the project, officials said.
Authorities believe the collapse began while workers were pouring concrete onto the roof of the two-story structure. The upper section reportedly gave way, causing the ground floors to cave into the underground levels.
The accident occurred at 1:58 p.m. Thursday at the site of the Gwangju Metropolitan Library, which is under construction on the former site of the Sangmu waste incineration plant in Seo-gu, Gwangju, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul.
The project, led by the Gwangju metropolitan government, carries a total budget of 51.6 billion won ($37 million). The building is designed to span two basement levels and two above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 11,286 square meters. Construction was about 72 percent complete at the time of the collapse.
Rescue operations mobilized more than 1,000 personnel from fire departments, police, and related agencies. About 230 pieces of equipment, including life-detection devices and thermal imaging cameras, were deployed, along with nine search-and-rescue dogs.
Police and labor authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, including a raid on the headquarters of the project’s main contractor on Saturday. Investigators seized construction documents and accident records to determine whether proper safety measures were in place, particularly regarding the method used to pour concrete without adequate structural supports.
“We will examine work orders, construction methods and safety management systems based on the seized evidence,” an official at the Gwangju Employment and Labor Office said. “We aim to thoroughly investigate the structural causes of this accident, which resulted in multiple casualties, and hold those responsible accountable.”
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk said Friday that the government plans to push for a special law to strengthen construction site safety and impose tougher penalties for fatal workplace accidents, citing a rise in deadly incidents nationwide.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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