Prosecution Seeks 7 Years 6 Months Imprisonment for Hyundai Construction Site Manager and 2 Others in Gwangju Hakdong Collapse Disaster

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The prosecution has demanded a maximum sentence of 7 years and 6 months in prison for those involved in the collapse of a demolition building in Gwangju Hakdong 4 District.

On the 13th, at the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 11 (Chief Judge Park Hyun-soo), during the sentencing trial for seven construction-related personnel including Hyundai Development Company site manager Seo (58), the prosecution demanded prison sentences ranging from 7 years and 6 months to 5 years of imprisonment.

For the three corporations Hyundai Development Company (35 million KRW), Hansol Enterprise (30 million KRW), and Baeksol Construction (50 million KRW), which were also indicted for violating the Industrial Safety and Health Act, the prosecution demanded fines respectively.

The prosecution pointed out, "This is a serious incident where innocent citizens and passengers died or were injured as a result of forcibly carrying out demolition work without safety measures in a high-risk accident situation," and added, "Due to the defendants' serious negligence, great harm occurred to the victims and their families."

In the final defense, Hyundai Development Company's lawyer argued, "The accident site was a place where only demolition was taking place, and Hyundai Development Company was not the constructor of the demolition work," and "Hyundai Development Company, as a contractor and not the constructor, has no obligation for safety measures."

He continued, "Since the cause of the accident has not been clearly identified, it is difficult to establish a causal relationship that the defendants are responsible, so we ask for a verdict of not guilty."

The prosecution held the site managers and excavator operators of each construction company directly responsible for the collapse accident most accountable. They demanded 7 years and 6 months imprisonment each for Seo, the Hyundai Development Company site manager, Kang (29), the site manager of Hansol, a general demolition subcontractor, and Jo (48), the representative and excavator operator of a re-subcontractor.

For Cha (60), the supervisor accused of failing to properly perform supervisory duties, the prosecution demanded 7 years imprisonment, and for Hyundai Development Company's safety manager Kim (58), public affairs manager Noh (54), and Kim (50), the site manager of Dawon ENC, which was subcontracted for asbestos demolition, the prosecution demanded 5 years of imprisonment with labor.

Imprisonment with labor restricts physical freedom by confinement in correctional facilities like imprisonment, but does not force labor.

This incident occurred on June 9 last year during the demolition work of the redevelopment project in Gwangju Hakdong 4 District. The building collapsed, causing 17 passengers on a nearby city bus (9 dead, 8 injured) to die or be injured.

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