Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon inspects Seongsu Bridge on Wednesday night. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon inspects Seongsu Bridge on Wednesday night. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the southern connecting ramp of Seongsu Bridge on Wednesday night to personally oversee on-site testing of a section where a step-level gap has formed.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government closed the ramp entirely from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday after detecting a gap of about 9 centimeters on the southern ramp leading from Olympic-daero near Dongho Bridge toward Jamsil and onto Seongsu Bridge. The city said the gap had existed since the ramp's construction and that no additional settlement or progression had been observed for years, and added that it would conduct a detailed safety assessment.

At the site, Oh received a briefing on the measures taken to date and the safety management plan for the affected section, then reviewed the progress of field tests conducted with external experts in structural engineering and geotechnical analysis.

The tests involved removing the asphalt pavement to directly examine ground conditions and bearing capacity. No structural safety problems with the bridge have been identified so far. The city plans to scientifically verify the ground conditions with outside experts and pursue any necessary measures based on the test results and the detailed safety assessment, so that citizens can use Seongsu Bridge with confidence.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to comprehensively analyze the field test results alongside the ongoing detailed safety assessment to make a final determination on the facility's safety, and to draw up repair and reinforcement measures if needed. It also intends to disclose the findings transparently after expert review, conduct comprehensive inspections of similar facilities, and further strengthen a proactive, prevention-focused infrastructure management system.

Oh had inspected Seongsu Bridge on July 10, at which time he said no current safety problems had been found but pledged to carry out expert verification and a detailed safety assessment — and to pursue any necessary reinforcement work — to address public concern.

After completing the inspection, Oh said, "Although no structural safety problems with the bridge have been confirmed so far, it is Seoul's responsibility to verify and explain everything to the end if citizens have even the slightest concern." He added, "We will disclose the verification results transparently and swiftly pursue any necessary measures, and we will take this opportunity to further strengthen inspections of similar facilities and prevention-focused management, so that we can be fully accountable for citizen safety."


ikson@heraldcorp.com