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The scene of the Seosomun Overpass demolition site in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where a structural collapse occurred on May 26. / Photo via Yonhap News

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency launched a forced investigation into the Seosomun Overpass collapse that claimed three lives, executing sweeping raid operations across the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the construction companies involved.

The agency's Regional Crime Investigation Division announced that it initiated simultaneous search and seizure operations at 9:00 a.m. on May 29 across seven locations, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Infrastructure Headquarters, the offices of the prime and subcontractors, and the construction site headquarters.

The raid mobilized 53 investigators, deploying 33 police officers from the Regional Crime Investigation Division alongside 20 labor inspectors from the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office. Authorities intend to meticulously review the seized construction blueprints, safety management documentation, and daily operational logs to determine whether proper demolition protocols were executed and adequate safety measures were in place.

The structural failure occurred at 2:33 p.m. on May 26, when a section of the upper deck collapsed at the Seosomun Overpass demolition site in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. The accident left three workers dead and three others injured. Preliminary reports indicate that construction had been halted earlier that morning after anomalies were detected during dawn demolition work, and the fatal collapse occurred while a subsequent safety assessment was underway.

Moving forward, the police plan to utilize the confiscated data and forensic site analysis to verify whether the structural demolition aligned with the approved safety management plan, and to evaluate if site managers took appropriate tactical actions after discovering the early warning signs. Investigations are concurrently targeting potential charges of professional negligence resulting in death or injury, alongside violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

                                                                                                           Seol So-young