CEO of building contractor apologizes for accident in Gwangju that killed four workers

The CEO of Kooil Construction, the main contractor at the Gwangju construction site where a structural collapse on Thursday claimed the lives of four workers, visited the scene of the accident and offered an official apology on Saturday.

Kim Chan-sik, the CEO of Kuil Construction, bows in an apology for a recent fatal accident at a construction site held in Chipyeong-dong, Seo District, Gwangju, on Dec. 13. [YONHAP]

The CEO of Kuil Construction, the main contractor at the Gwangju construction site where a structural collapse on Thursday claimed the lives of four workers, visited the scene of the accident and offered an official apology on Saturday.

“I pray for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I bow my head in apology,” CEO Kim Chan-sik said at a briefing held in Chipyeong-dong, Seo District, Gwangju on Saturday. “We will do our utmost to determine the cause of the accident, carry out recovery efforts and establish measures to prevent a recurrence.”

“We will conduct a comprehensive review of the company’s safety management system, and all employees will work together to identify every cause and ensure that such an accident never happens again,” Kim added.

A steel structure collapsed at the construction site of a library in Gwangju at around 1:58 p.m. on Thursday, trapping several workers. Rescue authorities completed recovery operations on Saturday after all four buried workers were retrieved. None of the workers survived.

At the briefing on Saturday, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung pledged to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and implement measures to prevent a recurrence. Kang said the city would mobilize a task force of relevant departments and devote all efforts to identifying the cause and preventing similar incidents.

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung speaks at a press briefing on a fatal accident at a construction site held in Chipyeong-dong, Seo District, Gwangju, on Dec. 13. [YONHAP]

“We will thoroughly examine whether there were any wrongful practices that threatened safety throughout the entire construction process, including construction, supervision and project ordering,” Kang said. “We will diagnose and improve problems from the perspective of citizens, not merely by the letter of the law.”

On Saturday, the Gwangju police’s criminal mobile unit conducted search and seizure operations at eight locations belonging to six companies involved in the project responsible for reinforced concrete work, supervision and design.

Considering the seriousness of the case, police plan to elevate the investigation team to a full-scale investigation headquarters starting on Dec. 15, reinforcing it with three additional teams and concentrating investigative efforts.

Authorities will also analyze seized documents and witness statements and conduct further questioning of those involved to determine the circumstances of the incident and assign responsibility.

Gwangju’s regional office of employment and labor will examine possible violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]