Seoul Police Probe Overpass Collapse, Focus on Safety Guidelines

SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- Police on Sunday accelerated their probe into last week's deadly collapse of an overpass in central Seoul, focusing on whether the demolition work at the time of the accident was carried out in accordance with proper safety guidelines. Last Tuesday, a section of the Seosomun Overpass in central Seoul undergoing demolition collapsed during an on-site safety inspection, killing three people and injuring three others. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has since launched an investigation into the case and raided the offices of the Seoul city government, an engineering company and others involved in the demolition. On Sunday, police officials were reviewing materials seized in the raids to determine whether proper safety guidelines had been established and followed during the construction and demolition of the overpass. In particular, they were focusing on who was responsible for the demolition work, which proceeded without the necessary safety measures despite apparent risk of a collapse, according to sources. The investigation team plans to summon officials from the construction company and the Seoul city government for questioning down the road amid speculation that city officials could also face charges if they are found responsible for the faulty demolition work. In August 2025, the city began demolishing the 335-meter-long overpass linking Seoul's Chungjeongno Station and City Hall Station, which was built in 1966, to replace it with a new overpass due to safety concerns.