Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

 

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] South Korean police have launched a criminal investigation into the fatal retaining wall collapse in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, executing search and seizure warrants at key institutions, including the construction firm Hyundai Engineering & Construction.



On July 22 at 9:00 a.m., the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency’s task force investigating the Osan wall collapse conducted its first round of raids. Authorities served search warrants at three locations:

 

– Osan City Hall (Departments related to disaster safety and road maintenance)
– Hyundai E&C headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul
– Korea Infrastructure Safety & Technology Corporation (KISTEC) in Jinju, affiliated with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.



The incident occurred on July 16 at 7:04 p.m., when a 10-meter-high retaining wall beneath the Gajang Overpass in Osan suddenly collapsed, crushing a passing vehicle and killing a man in his 40s.



This is the first official raid related to the incident, taking place six days after the accident. The investigation is focusing on potential causes such as heavy rainfall (39.5 mm), inadequate road closure protocols, shoddy construction, and lax maintenance.



While attention has turned to whether the case could fall under Korea’s Serious Accidents Punishment Act (SAPA) as a “major civil disaster,” the mayor’s office was not included in the search targets.



Police stated they aim to secure all relevant documents and digital records related to the road and wall—from initial design and construction to maintenance and inspections. The goal is to determine whether the structure was built according to regulations, maintained properly, and whether warning signs were missed in advance.



The materials being seized include internal documents and digital files; personal communication devices such as mobile phones are not currently included. Authorities also plan to review messages from a group chat involving officials from Osan City, local police, and fire departments to assess safety management protocols prior to the collapse.

 

 

 

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