Mother Visiting Sick Child Faces Life-or-Death Situation, High School Student Returning Home... Heartbreaking Stories from Gwangju Accident

Tragedy Strikes While Visiting Mother in Hospital... Only Father Survives
Mother Returning from Restaurant, the Only Teenage Victim's Story
"This Accident Is Man-Made... Must Prevent Recurrence," Urge Both Ruling and Opposition Parties

A photo capturing the demolition site a few hours before the collapse of a demolished building, which resulted in 17 casualties on the 9th, has been released. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] As a building under redevelopment collapsed in Gwangju, crushing a nearby city bus and resulting in 17 casualties, the stories of the deceased have added to the sorrow.

According to multiple media reports including MBC on the 10th, among the bus passengers who died in the tragedy were a daughter visiting her mother in the hospital, a mother who prepared a birthday meal for her eldest son before heading to work, and a high school student returning home after class.

Ms. A, who was visiting her mother, boarded the bus with her father to go to the nursing home where her mother was hospitalized. The father, who was seated at the front of the bus, was rescued immediately after the accident and regained consciousness at the hospital, but the daughter, who was seated further back and rescued later, ultimately passed away. It was reported that as soon as the father regained consciousness and stood up, he asked the medical staff, "Is our daughter okay?"

Mr. B, in his 60s, who ran a beef soup restaurant, also died in the accident. On the day of the accident, he had prepared a birthday meal for his eldest son and then headed to his shop. After finishing lunch service, he boarded the bus to return home but could not avoid the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the story of Mr. C, the only teenage victim, adds to the grief. On the day of the accident, although it was a remote learning day, Mr. C stopped by school to meet junior members of the music club and was on his way home when the accident occurred. He was only two stops away from his home.

According to Gwangju City on the same day, at around 4:22 p.m. on the previous day (the 9th), a five-story redevelopment building in Hakdong 4 District, Dong-gu, Gwangju, collapsed, killing 9 out of 17 people on a nearby city bus and seriously injuring 9 others.

The scene of the building collapse accident. / Photo by Yonhap News

All nine deceased were passengers seated in the rear seats of the bus, including a teenage male student, three women in their 60s, two women in their 70s, one man in his 70s, one woman in her 50s, and one woman in her 20s.

The political sphere also collectively mourned those who lost their lives in this accident and urged thorough investigation and measures to prevent recurrence.

Kim Jin-wook, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said in a written briefing, "This accident, like a bolt from the blue, is clearly a man-made disaster," emphasizing, "We must thoroughly uncover the lax safety management at the site through an investigation."

He added, "Safety regulations and laws related to demolition buildings are insufficient," and "We will prepare necessary legislation and discuss safety enhancement measures with local governments to prevent recurrence."

Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, also released a statement saying, "This accident is clearly a man-made disaster," and "Although local governments and construction companies have apologized and promised to prevent recurrence, if responsibility is simply placed on one company and the matter ends there, such accidents will happen again."

He continued, "President Moon Jae-in, who vowed to ensure that not a single citizen sheds tears over safety, now with less than a year left in his term, should reflect on whether that promise has been kept," urging for measures to prevent recurrence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.