South Korea Grapples with Escalating Underground Infrastructure Failures

Ongoing rescue efforts in Gwangmyeong tunnel collapse highlight the urgent need for addressing aging sewer systems and construction oversight.

A worker remains missing following the Gwangmyeong subway tunnel collapse, where reinforcement work failed to prevent structural failure.
Recent data reveals nearly one-third of Seoul's sewer pipes are over 50 years old, contributing significantly to sinkholes and ground subsidence.
Government task forces are deploying advanced technologies like ground-penetrating radar to identify underground vulnerabilities in major cities.
From 2020 to 2024, 45.4% of ground subsidence incidents nationwide were linked to sewer pipe damage, per official data.
Rapid urban development and aging infrastructure continue to strain South Korea's underground systems, raising public safety concerns.