Global InformationSeongsu Bridge disaster information
 Site of the Seongsu Bridge disaster | |
| Date | October 21, 1994 |
|---|---|
| Time | 7:38 a.m. KST |
| Location | Seoul, South Korea |
| Coordinates | 37°32′14″N 127°02′06″E / 37.53722°N 127.03500°E |
| Cause | Structural failure caused by faulty welding and rusted extension hinges; exacerbated by insufficient maintenance and failure to prevent the propagation of fatigue cracks |
| Deaths | 32 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 17 |
| Convicted | 17 convicted, including:
|
| Charges |
|
| Verdict | Guilty |
| Sentence | Sentences ranging from 6 months to 3 years imprisonment |
The Seongsu Bridge disaster[a] was a deadly bridge collapse that occurred on the morning of October 21, 1994 in Seoul, South Korea. 32 people died and 17 were injured when a section of the upper truss of the Seongsu Bridge collapsed onto the Han River. A combination of faulty welding, rusted extension hinges, and insufficient maintenance resulted in the structural failure of the bridge.
The Seongsu Bridge opened in 1979 and was the 11th bridge constructed over the Han River, connecting the northern Seongdong District to the southern Gangnam District. The bridge became one of the busiest bridges in Seoul and was built as part of military dictator Park Chung Hee's plan to develop the region south of the Han River (known as Gangnam).
Seventeen Seoul Metropolitan Government, Dongbu Corporation, and Dong Ah Construction officials were convicted in connection to the collapse. The Mayor of Seoul Lee Won-jong and his successor Woo Myoung-kyu both resigned in response to the disaster. On November 10, 2000, the Dong Ah Group, the parent company of Dong Ah Construction, filed for bankruptcy and the company dissolved on May 11, 2001. The collapse was part of a string of disasters during the modernization of South Korea, including a fire on board a sightseeing boat in 1987, the sinking of MV Seohae, the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 733 and the Gupo Station rail accident in 1993, and the Daegu gas explosions and Sampoong Department Store collapse in 1995.[1][2]
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- ^ Pollack 1994
- ^ Kim 2017, p. 180