Cause of Busan Station Platform Subsidence to Be Investigated... MOLIT Launches Central Underground Accident Committee

Up to 12 Civilian Experts in Soil, Foundations, and Underground Safety
Busan City Excluded
From Accident Cause Analysis to Institutional Improvement
Comprehensive Three-Month Investigation Launched

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has established and officially launched the Central Underground Accident Investigation Committee (Sajo Committee) to determine the cause of the subsidence accident at the Busan Station platform and to develop measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Officials from the Korea Rail Network Authority conducting ground surveys around Busan Station. Korea Rail Network Authority.

On the afternoon of August 5, the Ministry announced that it held the inaugural meeting of the Sajo Committee at Busan Station and would begin approximately three months of on-site investigation activities. The Sajo Committee is an organization operated under Article 46 of the Special Act on Underground Safety Management, which investigates the circumstances and causes of underground accidents of a certain scale or larger.

This investigation will be conducted by up to 12 experts in the fields of soil, foundations, tunnels, and underground safety, selected from the 4th Central Underground Accident Investigation Committee (2025?2026) to ensure expertise and objectivity. In particular, to ensure a fair and transparent investigation, Busan City has been excluded from the committee, and only personnel unrelated to nearby underground roadway construction have been included to secure independence, according to the Ministry.

The committee plans to analyze the cause of the accident through procedures such as on-site investigations, review of design documents and related materials, and hearings with relevant parties, and to develop institutional improvement measures to prevent similar cases. If necessary, the investigation period may be extended beyond early November.

The Korea Infrastructure Safety and Technology Corporation will serve as the secretariat, providing practical support for the operation of the Sajo Committee, while the Ministry will be responsible for administrative support, including coordination with related agencies. The Ministry stated, "We will guarantee the maximum independence and expertise of the Sajo Committee so that it can comprehensively analyze the causes of the subsidence and structural issues and establish fundamental countermeasures."

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