Highway Under Construction Collapses in Anseong, South Korea, Killing and Injuring All 10 Workers Present
An elevated section of a highway under construction collapsed in Anseong, South Korea, resulting in the death or injury of all 10 workers present at the site. Fire authorities reported that four people were killed and six were injured in the incident, which occurred on Tuesday.
The National Fire Agency stated that the accident took place at 9:49 AM (00:49 GMT) in Anseong, a city located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Seoul. Five steel structures, each 50 meters (164 feet) long and supporting the highway bridge, collapsed, trapping the workers in the rubble. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has dispatched a team of officials to the scene. Hyundai Engineering, the company responsible for the construction, expressed its condolences and apologized for the loss of lives and injuries. In a statement reported by the Yonhap News Agency, the company said, “We are actively cooperating with the relevant authorities to ensure a swift site recovery and a thorough investigation into the exact cause of the accident.”
Acting President Choi Sang-mok has called for the mobilization of all available personnel and emphasized the importance of implementing safety measures to prevent further damage. Choi assumed the role of acting president in December after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024. Yoon recently appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on allegations of orchestrating a rebellion, ahead of a criminal trial, and was arrested on January 15 after a standoff at his residence—marking the first such action against a sitting president in South Korea.
Deadly accidents at industrial sites remain a recurring issue in South Korea. In response, the country introduced a law in 2022 aimed at addressing safety lapses and holding company management accountable for workplace fatalities. Earlier in February, six people died in a fire at a hotel construction site in Busan, with about 100 people evacuated, including 14 workers rescued by helicopter after taking refuge on a rooftop. In June 2023, a fire at a lithium battery factory, attributed to quality control failures and inadequate safety training, resulted in the deaths of 23 workers.
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