Gwangju Library Collapse: President Lee Orders Full Mobilization of Resources for Rescue Effort

President Lee Jaemyung ordered an all-out rescue effort after hearing news of a collapse at the Gwangju Metropolitan Library construction site in Seo-gu, Gwangju, on December 11.

Yonhap News Agency

At the international conference hall of the Sejong Convention Center, immediately after the start of a work briefing by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, President Lee said, "I imagine the Minister of Employment and Labor must be feeling uneasy. There has been another collapse at a construction site, and it appears that four people have been buried," and issued the directive.

President Lee added, "It seems the necessary measures have been taken," and continued, "I want the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and other relevant ministries to mobilize all available human and material resources and focus entirely on the rescue operation for now."

He then asked, "Minister of Employment and Labor, you will need to go to the accident site after the work briefing, correct?" and said, "Let us continue to monitor the situation."

Earlier that afternoon, a steel structure collapsed at the construction site of the Gwangju Metropolitan Library, which is being built on the site of the former Sangmu incineration plant in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. It was estimated that four workers were buried at the site.

The work briefing was originally scheduled to proceed in the order of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, followed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. However, as the Minister of Employment and Labor needed to visit the accident site, the briefing by the Ministry of Employment and Labor was held first. Ryu Hyuncheol, Director General of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters, and Oh Youngmin, Director General of the Safety and Health Supervision Bureau, who were scheduled to attend the briefing, were absent in order to assist with the accident response.

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