On March 24, at around 6:29 PM KST, a sinkhole about 20 meters in diameter suddenly collapsed in Gangdong-gu. One casualty was sustained.
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In a bombshell report by No Cut News, it was reported that the area where the sinkhole had occurred had already been flagged out a month prior to the accident. A subway extension project is being cited as a key cause in the recent fatal sinkhole incident in Seoul. A worker involved in the project had previously filed a civil complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, warning of a potential collapse.
They had filed the civil complaint on February 24, 2025, expressing concerns about a possible collapse at the construction site. The point of concern was the “end tunnel section of Section 1,” which lies directly beneath the site of the fatal sinkhole. The worker raised alarms that the ground in Section 1 was weak overall and thus vulnerable to collapse. In his complaint, he skillfully noted, “To my knowledge, there is no bedrock layer in the end tunnel section of Section 1. Considering that the area is densely populated with homes and has heavy vehicle traffic, I believe the earth pressure (pressure exerted on the ground) would be high.”
The area the worker flagged was exactly where the sinkhole occurred, but at that point in time, Seoul City had responded with a generic assurance, claiming “there was no issue.” This has led to criticism that the city may have taken the warning too lightly.
The site where the fatal sinkhole occurred was composed of weathered soil, not solid rock. This means a collapse warning had already been submitted a month prior, with concerns about ground instability and heavy surface pressure from vehicles.
Nevertheless, Seoul City responded only with a general statement dismissing the concern. Their official reply was, “Though there may be differences in construction methods, the design ensures structural stability.”
Netizens have been blaming the Seoul City governance, including mayor Oh Se Hoon. In the eyes of many citizens, the warning should not have been taken lightly.
