A 68-year-old worker missing after a library construction collapse in Gwangju was found dead early Saturday, raising the death toll to three. Search efforts continue into the third day for the last missing worker, a 58-year-old surnamed Kim. The government plans to introduce a special law to bolster construction site safety.
The collapse occurred at 1:58 p.m. on Thursday at a library construction site in Buk-gu, Gwangju, where a two-story steel structure failed. The public library is being built by the Gwangju metropolitan government on the site of a former waste incineration plant, located about 300 kilometers south of Seoul. Officials suspect the incident began when workers poured concrete onto the rooftop, causing the ground floors to fall to the underground level.
Four workers were initially buried in the debris. Two were recovered on Thursday: one pronounced dead at the scene and the other later in the hospital. Early Saturday at around 1:03 a.m., the body of 68-year-old worker surnamed Ko was discovered, bringing the death toll to three. The remaining missing worker, 58-year-old surnamed Kim, is believed trapped under concrete rubble in the underground area.
Rescue operations faced significant challenges. On Friday, the second day of the search, efforts were paused until 6 p.m. due to risks of further collapse of the unstable steel structure and hardening concrete mixture. Teams cut through entangled rebar, shoveled debris, and poured water to dilute the concrete. As of Saturday, authorities are using excavators and heavy machinery to clear the presumed location of the last worker.
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk stated on Friday that the government intends to introduce a special law to strengthen construction workplace safety and impose harsher penalties for fatal accidents, amid a rise in such incidents. Since taking office in June, President Lee Jae Myung has repeatedly called for robust measures to prevent industrial accidents, particularly following a series of mishaps at sites managed by major construction firms. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols in the sector.
