"Preventing Another Myeongil-dong"... Seoul Expands Workforce and Adopts New Technologies for Ground Subsidence Management

Workforce Expansion, Facility Upgrades, and Adoption of New Technologies
16,423 km of GPR Surveys to Prevent Accidents
Increased Survey Frequency Around Excavation Sites
Citizen Safety Insurance Now Covers 'Ground Subsidence'

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is accelerating the expansion of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys and monitoring networks to prevent ground subsidence accidents. The city also announced that it will move swiftly to compensate citizens who have suffered damages from unforeseen accidents.

On March 23, marking the one-year anniversary of the ground subsidence in Myeongil-dong, the Seoul Metropolitan Government stated that this year it will focus its ground subsidence safety management measures on three main pillars: strengthening prevention systems, establishing rapid response frameworks, and improving regulations and systems.

The large-scale ground subsidence that occurred in the Gangdong District area last March. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

First, the coverage and scope of 'GPR surveys' to inspect underground cavities will be expanded to 16,423 kilometers, about 1.7 times the 9,595 kilometers covered last year. To achieve this, the number of GPR survey personnel will be increased from 9 to 19, and the city has secured the largest fleet among all local governments in Korea, consisting of 6 vehicle-mounted, 1 electric, and 3 handheld survey devices.

The results of the GPR surveys, current data on ground subsidence, and underground cavity distribution maps are publicly available on the 'Seoul Safety Nuri' platform. Starting this year, the scope of disclosure will be widened to include stepwise safety management implementation data and ground subsidence monitoring network metrics for approximately 300 excavation sites.

GPR surveys near excavation sites will also be strengthened. For construction projects subject to underground safety assessments, surveys will increase from once per year to at least once per month. Large-scale excavation projects, such as urban rail construction, will be surveyed at least once per week. Areas with public complaints will be inspected as needed.

From this year through 2029, the city will conduct a comprehensive investigation of 4,830 kilometers of sewer pipelines that are over 30 years old and have been identified as a major cause of ground subsidence. Based on the results, the city plans to structurally address ground weakening factors by repairing 200 kilometers per year, totaling 1,000 kilometers by 2030.

The city will also enhance systematic monitoring and measurement accuracy by establishing a 'ground subsidence monitoring network' that detects ground changes in real time using underground sensors, and will adopt new measurement technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) and information and communication technology (ICT). The system for real-time data collection and analysis is scheduled to be completed within the year.

Professional expertise for rapid cause investigation and restoration in the event of an accident has also been strengthened. The city has formed an 'Underground Safety Advisory Panel' in cooperation with academic and technical societies in related fields and established a rapid on-site inspection system, which deploys experts to the scene immediately upon detection of ground subsidence signs to investigate causes and participate in restoration efforts.

Seoul has become the first city in Korea to include 'ground subsidence' as a coverage item in the citizen safety insurance policy and has raised the compensation limit for public facility liability insurance. Additionally, the city amended the 'Ordinance on Underground Safety Management of Seoul Metropolitan Government' to strengthen functions for on-site investigation and cause analysis, and to require the presence of professional technicians at excavation sites, significantly tightening field-based safety management standards.

The city is also actively working to compensate victims related to the accident. Compensation payments have been completed for bereaved families through the disaster management fund, citizen safety insurance, and public facility liability insurance. Through constructive discussions, the city will also ensure prompt support through construction damage insurance by reaching reasonable agreements.

Han Byungyong, Director General of Disaster and Safety at Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "I once again express my deepest condolences to all those affected by the Myeongil-dong accident. We will fundamentally review and overhaul the underground safety management system to ensure such accidents never happen again, fulfilling our responsibilities with a renewed approach." He added, "Since underground safety cannot be achieved overnight, we will remain vigilant and continue our efforts until citizens feel fully secure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.