Seongsu Bridge's 9cm Displacement Alarms Citizens... Striking "Broken Spine" Public Service Ad Draws Attention

Ijesuk Lee Installs X-ray Advertisement at the Site

Seoul City: "No Safety Issues... Detailed Diagnostics Underway"

As safety concerns were raised after a height difference of about 9 centimeters was discovered at the southern ramp of Seongsu Bridge in Seoul, a public service advertisement symbolizing a 'broken spine' has appeared at the site. The creator of the advertisement urged the need for precise examination not only of the road surface but also of the ground beneath it.

X-ray advertisement of 'Broken Spine' by Jae Seok Lee Advertising Research Institute appeared at the 9cm displacement point of Seongsu Bridge. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to Yonhap News Agency on July 15, Jae Seok Lee, head of the Jae Seok Lee Advertising Research Institute and a public service advertising expert, recently conducted a guerrilla campaign at the location of the height difference on the southern approach ramp to Seongsu Bridge, emphasizing the necessity of checking the stability of the ground below the road.

'Broken Spine' Advertisement Appears at Displacement Point

The advertisement was created by placing X-ray images of a human spine in a staggered manner on both sides of the concrete retaining wall where the height difference has occurred. By aligning the images along the misaligned border of the road, the spine appears to be severed, visually conveying the potential dangers of the displacement in an intuitive way.

Lee argued that, since the ramp in question is an embankment section constructed by filling earth and installing a retaining wall, there is a need to check for aging of the internal drainage system or loss of soil. He explained that, as approximately 30 years have passed since Seongsu Bridge was reopened, it is also necessary to examine the effects of aging infrastructure, heavy rainfall, weak ground conditions in the surrounding Han River area, and nearby underground construction on the displacement.

He stressed that simply overlaying asphalt to ease the height difference is insufficient to verify the possibility of cavities or soil loss beneath the road, emphasizing the need for precise investigations, such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys and subsoil drilling. He also demanded that the results of these investigations be disclosed transparently to the public.

Seoul City: "No Structural Issues" ... Detailed Diagnosis and Comprehensive Survey

Previously, a displacement of about 9 centimeters was discovered at the southern ramp of Seongsu Bridge, leading to multiple reports from drivers. The detected height difference is in the uphill section leading from Olympic-daero in the direction of Jamsil to Seongsu Bridge, and concerns the connecting ramp constructed with earth and retaining walls, not the main body of the bridge.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that this displacement had already been identified in previous detailed safety inspections and has been regularly monitored. Since 2016, the height difference has consistently remained at around 89 to 90 millimeters, with no additional subsidence or progressive displacement detected.

The city believes the displacement was caused by differences in long-term subsidence due to the contrasting foundation types of the main section of Seongsu Bridge and the ramp with retaining walls. Seoul officials stated that the subsidence has now stabilized, and that there are no structural safety concerns.

However, in order to alleviate public anxiety, the city has decided to seek advice from external experts and carry out a detailed safety diagnosis. It will also install monitoring equipment to track structural changes and will conduct a comprehensive survey of all connecting ramps for Han River bridges to determine whether similar displacements exist.

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