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Lee to hold those responsible for Seosomun collapse accountable, no matter 'rank or position'

Published: 28 May. 2026, 17:42

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the senior staff meeting at the Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 28. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a full investigation into the Seosomun Overpass collapse, as well as a separate rebar defect at a major transit hub, vowing to hold those responsible accountable "regardless of rank or position."

"The bad practice of prioritizing money over safety and efficiency over safety still persists in parts of our society," Lee said during a senior staff meeting at the Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Thursday. “A thorough investigation is needed into whether the accident at the Seosomun Overpass demolition site, as well as the missing rebar issue in the GTX project at Samseong Station, also stemmed from these kinds of entrenched problems.”

A section of Seosomun Overpass in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, collapsed during demolition work on Tuesday, killing three people. A lack of safety measures and the simultaneous entry of multiple inspectors onto a weakened structure are being floated as possible reasons for the incident as authorities continue their investigation.

In May 2025, a construction defect was found at the fifth basement level of the multi-modal transit hub being built at Samseong Station in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, after the contractor misread design blueprints and omitted half of the required main rebar in 50 of the 80 platform support columns between late 2023 and early 2024.

The collapsed Seosomun Overpass in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on May 26 [YONHAP]

Lee reserved particular criticism for the public sector's role in both incidents. "The gravity of these cases is significant given that the public sector, which should be leading the way on public safety more than anyone, is involved," he said.

The remarks drew an immediate backlash from the opposition People Power Party (PPP), which accused the president of election interference ahead of the June 3 local elections.

His Democratic Party (DP) also held a forum in the National Assembly the same morning, focusing on the two incidents and calling them the incumbent conservative Seoul mayor "Oh Se-hoon's responsibility."

Election officials conduct final checks at the second early voting station in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, on May 28, one day ahead of early voting for the 2026 local elections. [JOONGANG ILBO]

"It is a separate matter for the president to personally step forward during an election period and call for accountability," said PPP Secretary-General Jung Hee-yong. "There are grounds to be concerned about interference in the election. Right now, the focus should be on determining the cause of the accident and establishing measures to prevent a recurrence. This is what a president focused on protecting the public’s safety and lives should look like."

PPP spokesperson Choi Bo-yun had earlier criticized the DP for "dragging the Seosomun Overpass accident into the National Assembly with just one day before early voting."

Lee also used the Thursday meeting to call for the development of an aerospace industrial belt spanning South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces.

"Aerospace is a future core strategic industry encompassing cutting-edge science and technology, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecommunications, materials and precision machinery," he said. Korea must "more solidly pave the way toward becoming a global aerospace powerhouse."

He particularly called for strengthened public-private cooperation.

“I hope we will significantly strengthen public-private cooperation so that a Korean version of SpaceX can emerge, and foster the southern regions equipped with key infrastructure — including South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla provinces — into a comprehensive aerospace belt.”

The remarks follow a visit to Busan on Wednesday, where Lee pledged sweeping investment in port, airport, rail and road infrastructure, and represent a continued focus on southern regional development ahead of the local elections.

The president also indirectly pushed back against opposition criticism that his visits to traditional markets amount to state interference in the election. "I've been eating at markets after events recently, and some people ask why I go to markets to eat," he said. "I just like eating at markets, so I hope people can understand."

He went on to call for expanded government support for traditional market modernization, saying conditions at these venues appeared to be "continuing to deteriorate rather than improving as much as expected."

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 OH HYUN-SEOK [[email protected]]