Gwangju Subway Line 2 Construction... Inconvenience Continues for 7 Years

Over 2,500 Complaints Filed Over Building Cracks and More
Citizens Frustrated as Responsibility for Compensation Is Shifted

The construction of Gwangju Metro Line 2 has continued for seven years, resulting in over 2,500 complaints related to vehicle damage and building cracks. However, dissatisfaction among affected citizens is growing as the construction companies and Gwangju City shift responsibility for compensation onto each other.

On the morning of December 23 last year, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong, Gwangju City Council members Hong Giwol and Park Mijeong, Dong District Mayor Lim Taek, and residents of Sansu-dong and Jisan-dong were clearing PE protective walls, lava cones, and other facilities along the 660-meter section between bus stops 216 and 217 (around the Gwangju Nonghyup Sansu-dong branch and Sansu police box). Photo by Min Chanki

According to the Gwangju City Urban Railway Construction Headquarters on the 4th, a total of 2,584 complaints have been received from the start of Line 2 construction in 2019 until January of this year.

By type, traffic inconvenience accounted for the most with 863 cases, followed by construction safety with 710 cases, reports of vehicle damage or daily inconveniences with 399 cases, noise and dust with 241 cases, and inquiries about construction schedules and routes with 215 cases. The number of complaints is increasing each year, with 581 in 2022, 594 in 2023, and 674 in 2024.

Complainants also expressed dissatisfaction with the process of reporting and handling damages.

Mr. A (64) had to replace a tire less than six months old after the rear wheel of his car was torn on the edge of a steel plate covering the road for subway construction near the back gate of Gwangju Station last August. He said, "I never saw any guidance on where to report subway construction inconveniences, not in the construction area, city billboards, or on TV. Early this year, an acquaintance told me that they reported pothole damage to the Gwangju City call center, but even they have not received compensation yet."

It is also difficult to investigate the causes of building cracks or tilting suspected to be related to the construction. Gwangju City maintains that the construction company in charge of the section is responsible for compensation, while construction companies refer the issue to their insurance providers, resulting in prolonged unresolved complaints.

In the case of a three-story building in Bangnim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, where a report of tilting was filed last year, a safety inspection rated it as Grade E, requiring demolition. The Urban Railway Construction Headquarters believes the building began tilting when construction started in 2021, with a subsequent displacement of 0.43 cm.

The Urban Railway Construction Headquarters recently stated that the construction company's insurance provider had completed an on-site investigation and is expected to determine the scope of compensation based on the findings. However, Mr. B, a family member of the building owner, argued that during the preliminary investigation, the tilt was only measured from the side and not in the direction of the roadwork. Despite tenants reporting broken tiles and doors not closing properly since 2023, a thorough investigation has not been conducted for a long time.

Mr. B said, "The construction company suggested that compensation would be provided all at once after the project is completed, but since the scope of compensation and investigation are still unclear, it is very frustrating for those who are waiting."

An official from the Gwangju City Urban Railway Construction Headquarters explained, "If vehicle damage occurs while driving and the damage is proven, compensation is provided through the construction company and its insurer. For potholes or building cracks, repairs are made where possible, and compensation is provided through the construction company's insurance."

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