Chairperson Shin Sujeong of Gwangju Council Warns of Safety Threats Near Metro Construction Sites

"Safety Over Speed, Trust Over Opening" Stressed
City: "Citizen Safety Is the Top Priority in Construction Sections"

Shin Sujeong, Chairperson of Gwangju Metropolitan Council, is delivering the opening remarks at the 337th extraordinary session held on the 13th. Provided by Gwangju Metropolitan Council

Shin Sujeong, Chairperson of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, highlighted serious safety issues near the 219 stations of Gwangju Metro Line 2 at the 337th extraordinary session held on the 13th, urging that citizen safety be made the highest priority.

In her opening remarks that day, Chairperson Shin stated, "According to the recent detailed safety inspection, 11 out of 13 sites were rated E (suspension of use and emergency evacuation required), and 2 sites were rated D (urgent repairs and reinforcement needed). The homes of citizens, which should be the safest places, are now at risk of collapsing at any moment."

She continued, "The fact that this inspection was conducted not by the Urban Railroad Construction Headquarters, which is in charge of the project, but by the Social Disaster Division of the Citizen Safety Office, reveals an issue of administrative responsibility. We must reflect on whether administrative convenience is being prioritized over citizen safety."

She also expressed deep concern, saying, "It is very worrisome that the rebidding for Sections 7 and 10 is being pushed forward without sufficient safety inspections of Phase 1 construction sections. Safety must come before speed, and trust must come before opening."

Chairperson Shin emphasized, "The first responsibility of the council is to protect the lives and safety of citizens. We will strengthen on-site inspections and hold those responsible for safety issues fully accountable."

Regarding the key agenda items to be addressed at this extraordinary session, Chairperson Shin stated, "We will strictly verify budget transparency and policy effectiveness to prevent the waste of citizens' taxes. It is time for the council to answer citizens' questions and for the administration to respond to those answers. We will be a council that asks from the citizens' perspective and makes decisions based on the citizens' will."

In response, a city official explained, "The highest goal of the metro construction project is not speed, but citizen safety. In fact, when the construction site was flooded during the extreme rainfall from July 17 to 19, Gwangju City immediately halted construction and resumed only after conducting safety inspections."

The official added, "When conducting safety inspections of houses near the metro construction site, we are continuously communicating with residents and sharing updates to ensure citizen safety. We plan to hold a residents' briefing session on the 15th to implement follow-up measures. Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize citizen safety in all construction activities."

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