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“We Must Re-examine the Nationwide Safety Management System”
On the 28th, Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, said those responsible must be held accountable following the collapse of the Seosomun overpass in Seoul and the omission of rebar at the GTX-A Samseong Station transfer center.
At the National Assembly, he attended an emergency panel titled “Is Seoul’s safety OK as it is?” hosted by the party’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee. He called for a thorough investigation into the causes of the Seosomun collapse and the rebar omission at GTX Samseong to ensure such incidents do not recur.
He described it as devastating that similar accidents continue to occur 30 years after the 1994 Seongsu Bridge collapse and the 1995 Sampoong Department Store disaster, and he urged a comprehensive review of the country’s safety-management system from top to bottom.
He also noted that the day marked the 10th anniversary of the Guri Station screen-door accident and identified a structural problem that prioritizes cost and efficiency over safety. While the Industrial Safety and Health Act was revised and the 2-person team principle was introduced, he said many worksites still place cost savings ahead of human life, and he warned that the recent accidents likely reflect that same structural issue.
He added that experts had told him there is effectively no legislation governing the dismantling of social overhead capital (SOC), and he called for legislative remedies. He said he was shocked to learn there is no law on SOC dismantling and that the panel will closely examine both immediate measures and longer-term tasks.
He reiterated that the Democratic Party will lead efforts through legislation and policy to build a safer South Korea, stressing that authorities must not only implement measures to prevent recurrence but also thoroughly identify and hold accountable those responsible for the accidents.
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