Formation of Investigation Committee for Yangyang Ground Subsidence Accident… Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport "Cause Identification and Recurrence Prevention"

Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

On August 4, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will form and operate a 'Central Underground Accident Investigation Committee' to determine the cause of the ground subsidence and convenience store building collapse accident that occurred near the hotel construction site at Naksan Beach in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province on August 3.

The investigation committee consists of eight experts in related fields, including soil (4 members), tunnels (1 member), hydraulics (1 member), law (1 member), and underground safety (1 member). The committee is scheduled to operate from August 4 to October 3 (approximately 60 days) and plans to conduct its work independently to ensure an objective and transparent investigation.

The committee will analyze the exact cause of the accident, examining whether there were any technical or construction method errors at the construction site, any poor construction, or illegal activities. Additionally, it will prepare measures to prevent recurrence of such accidents at the site and implement improvements to prevent similar accidents at construction sites nationwide.

Kim Young-guk, Director of Technical Safety Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "In this accident investigation, we will thoroughly examine the appropriateness of the construction and underground development methods at the site, as well as any poor construction, to prevent further damage. Based on the investigation results, we will ensure that similar accidents do not recur at other sites."

Meanwhile, according to Article 46 of the Special Act on Underground Safety Management, the Central Underground Accident Investigation Committee can be established to investigate the circumstances and causes of ground subsidence accidents where the subsidence area is 4 square meters or more, or the depth is 2 meters or more, or where three or more deaths, missing persons, or injuries occur.

Earlier, at around 6:40 a.m. the previous day, a sinkhole measuring 12 meters wide, 8 meters long, and 5 meters deep occurred near a residential lodging facility construction site close to Naksan Beach in Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, causing part of a nearby convenience store building to collapse.

Although no one was injured in the accident, confusion ensued as the convenience store owner and 96 guests staying at nearby lodging facilities were urgently evacuated.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport dispatched specialized personnel from the Wonju Regional Land Management Office, the Korea Infrastructure Safety Corporation, and the Korea Expressway Corporation to the accident site to manage the situation in cooperation with the local government.

Additionally, to prevent further accidents, initial investigations are underway, including ground surveys using underground radar equipment to check the safety of the surrounding ground.

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