Collapse occurred during safety inspection after overnight structural warning signs, authorities said
Three people were killed and three others injured Tuesday after part of the Seosomun overpass collapsed during demolition work in western Seoul, authorities said.
The accident was reported at around 2:32 p.m. at the demolition site in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, according to fire authorities and Seoul city officials. Officials said part of the structure fell to the ground, crushing a vehicle used in the demolition operation.
The victims who died were three men, including two in their 60s and one in his 50s. The man in his 50s was found trapped under a vehicle and was transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest, but later died.
The three injured victims, who are in their 30s, 40s and 50s, suffered injuries to areas including the waist, head and ribs, authorities said. Six other workers at the site managed to evacuate before the collapse and avoided injury.
Emergency officials relayed safety precautions to field responders at around 2:42 p.m. and reported the situation by phone to the National Crisis Management Center and other relevant authorities.
Korail said train operations between Seoul Station on Subway Line No. 4 and Sinchon Station on Subway Line No. 2 had been suspended following the collapse, affecting the Gyeongui Line and other nearby services.
According to Seoul city officials, demolition work on the railway section of the overpass had been limited to between 1:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. due to train operation schedules.
A Seoul Metropolitan Government official said workers had been cutting concrete slabs between 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Tuesday when part of a slab sank by 2.9 centimeters, signaling a structural problem.
“After detecting abnormal signs, construction work was halted at around 2:30 a.m., and a safety inspection was conducted from 2 p.m.,” a city official said during a briefing.
The official added that a girder, a beam installed beneath bridge decks to support the structure, appeared to have broken down the middle during the inspection process, possibly triggering the collapse.
The Seoul city government began demolishing the Seosomun overpass in Aug. 17, 2025. Built in 1966, the overpass was given a Grade D rating in a recent safety inspection, indicating serious safety concerns.
Following the accident, President Lee Jae Myung instructed authorities to make every effort to manage the response and provide treatment for the injured.
In a statement delivered by senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Lee expressed condolences to the families of the victims and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse, as well as comprehensive measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok had earlier issued an emergency directive after being briefed on the collapse.
Kim instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Fire Agency to mobilize all available personnel and equipment for rescue operations. He also called on related agencies to provide manpower and equipment needed at the scene and to fully cooperate with rescue workers.
Kim ordered authorities to identify nearby medical facilities capable of receiving victims and ensure the rapid transport of injured people to minimize casualties.
The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Two leading candidates in Seoul’s June 3 mayoral election also temporarily suspended campaign activities.
Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea said his campaign activities would be halted as accident response efforts took priority.
“Campaigning will be temporarily suspended. Accident recovery is the top priority,” Chong’s camp said in a statement, adding that the candidate would immediately visit the collapse site.
Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party also announced the suspension of campaign activities in a Facebook post.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of citizens,” Oh wrote. “I will stop campaigning from this moment and head to the scene immediately to inspect the situation firsthand.”
Oh urged Seoul city officials and relevant authorities to make every effort to prevent further casualties and ensure swift rescue operations. He said authorities would thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and focus all efforts on recovery.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
