Concrete Falls from Seoul Subway Overpasses 13 Times in 5 Years

Over the past five years, 13 incidents of concrete pieces falling from Seoul subway elevated roads have been reported, with seven of these resulting in damage to vehicles at the impact sites. Amidst the collapse of the Seosomun elevated road, concerns are being raised about the safety management of subway overpasses frequently used by citizens.

The president of the Seoul Metro Corporation emphasized the necessity of facility reinforcement at a Seoul City Council transportation committee meeting last month, stating difficulties in securing funding for safety investments at a reconstruction level for Seoul's subway system, which is over 50 years old.

Yang Bu-nam, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed expanding the proportion of accident prevention within Seoul's disaster management fund from the current 10% to 30%, citing the efficiency of accident prevention budgets. He also pointed out that concrete structures of elevated roads across Seoul could threaten citizen safety due to falling debris, urging the city to rigorously implement regular safety inspections, repairs, reinforcements, and debris prevention measures for aging facilities.