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Several workers trapped after collapse at Gwangju construction site

Published: 11 Dec. 2025, 15:10 Updated: 11 Dec. 2025, 18:59

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Police officials work to locate possible survivors at the collapsed construction site of the City Main Library Gwangju in Gwangju on Dec. 11, 2025. [NEWS1]

GWANGJU — A steel structure collapsed at the construction site of the City Main Library Gwangju in Chipyeong-dong, Seo District, Gwangju, at around 1:58 p.m. on Thursday, trapping several workers.

Fire authorities said four workers were believed to be buried at the site as of 3 p.m. Rescuers pulled out one of them at 2:50 p.m. and rushed him to the hospital, but he was declared dead. Another worker was located at around 2:53 p.m., but remained unresponsive to officials as of press time.

Two remain unaccounted for.

The accident reportedly occurred at around 1:58 p.m. when the structure's second floor collapsed during ready-mix concrete pouring at the construction site.

Authorities are conducting rescue operations and investigating whether additional casualties occurred.

A steel structure collapses during the construction of the City Main Library Gwangju in Gwangju on Dec. 11, 2025. [NEWS1]

Officials work to locate possible survivors at the collapsed construction site of the City Main Library Gwangju in Gwangju on Dec. 11, 2025. [YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung ordered authorities to make all-out efforts to rescue the remaining workers during a policy briefing by the Ministry of Employment and Labor held in Sejong.

"We must mobilize all available personnel and equipment," Lee said.

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon ordered a halt to the construction. The ministry began an investigation into whether any regulations were skipped during the construction. The Gwangju police also formed a task force to identify those responsible.

"I was working inside my office when I heard a loud crashing noise, like an explosion," said Kim Ga-dong, who runs a nearby auto repair shop. "When I saw fire trucks arriving, I checked my shop’s security camera footage and saw part of the steel structure collapse suddenly.”

Police officials arrive at the collapsed construction site of the City Main Library Gwangju in Gwangju on Dec. 11, 2025. [NEWS1]

Officials work to locate possible survivors at the collapsed construction site of the City Main Library Gwangju in Gwangju on Dec. 11, 2025. [YONHAP]

The library is part of a Gwangju city project to redevelop the former Sangmu incineration site into a large-scale cultural complex. Construction began in November 2022 and was originally scheduled for completion this year, but has faced delays due to financial issues. The construction company has also entered court receivership.

According to the city, the new library is being built on an 11,286-square-meter (2.8-acre) site and will consist of a two-story reinforced concrete structure above ground and two underground levels. The total project budget is 51.6 billion won ($35 million), with the construction currently about 70 percent complete. Completion is now scheduled for April next year.

Update, Dec. 11: Added details about casualties, an on-site interview and construction background.
Update, Dec. 11: Added comments by President Lee Jae Myung, order by Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI KYEONG-HO, HWANG HEE-GYU, PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]