Hakdong Disaster in Gwangju: Responsible Parties Convicted, Up to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison Confirmed

Supreme Court Ruling Four Years After the Accident
Seventeen Dead or Injured in Demolition Building Collapse

All major parties found responsible for the collapse of the demolition building in Hakdong, Gwangju have been convicted, with the maximum sentence confirmed at two years and six months in prison.

The First Division of the Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Ma Yongju, on August 14 upheld the lower court’s ruling that sentenced the responsible parties to up to two years and six months in prison for charges including occupational negligence resulting in death and violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act. This decision comes four years and two months after the accident.

Bouquets and handwritten notes mourning the victims are placed on the road opposite the collapsed building at the redevelopment site of Hakdong4, Donggu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News

Jo (51), CEO of Baeksol Construction, a subcontractor who operated the excavator at the time of the collapse, received a confirmed sentence of two years and six months in prison. Kang (32), site manager at Hansol Enterprise, another subcontractor, was sentenced to two years in prison. Cha (63), the demolition supervisor who never inspected the site, received a suspended sentence of one year and six months in prison with three years of probation.

The Supreme Court stated, "There was no violation of the rules of logic and experience, nor any misunderstanding of the legal principles regarding occupational negligence resulting in death, in the lower court’s judgment." The first trial had sentenced the defendants to three years and six months, two years and six months, and one year and six months respectively, but these sentences were reduced on appeal.

The Hakdong disaster occurred on June 9, 2021, at the Hakdong4 redevelopment site in Donggu, Gwangju. A five-story building with one basement level collapsed during demolition, crushing a city bus at a nearby stop, resulting in nine deaths and eight injuries.

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