Staff from the Pohang Buk-gu Public Health Center provide emergency psychological support at the scene of the Borit-dol Bridge collapse in Jangil-ri. [Pohang City]
Staff from the Pohang Buk-gu Public Health Center provide emergency psychological support at the scene of the Borit-dol Bridge collapse in Jangil-ri. [Pohang City]

Authorities are stepping up their investigation into the collapse of Borit-dol Bridge in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.

The Donghae Regional Coast Guard and the National Forensic Service said Thursday they are coordinating a joint on-site inspection and conducting a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse.

The Korea Coast Guard is reviewing the overall circumstances of the incident, including the sequence of events leading to the collapse, the structural condition of the bridge and how it was maintained.

Investigators are paying particular attention to the fact that the bridge collapsed just 13 years after completion, examining whether problems existed in the design or construction process and whether Pohang city carried out adequate facility management and safety inspections.

If the investigation uncovers any legal violations or management failures, the coast guard plans to open a formal criminal inquiry and charge those responsible.

Authorities also plan to pursue additional investigations or criminal inquiries into the contractor or managing agency once the National Forensic Service releases its on-site findings.

Pohang city has also launched its own investigation into the cause of the collapse.

City officials are cautiously raising the possibility that structural fatigue accumulated from earthquakes and typhoons, compounded by thermal expansion from the recent heat wave, may have combined to bring down the bridge.

Borit-dol Bridge was not subject to mandatory regular safety inspections under the Special Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Facilities.

Nevertheless, Pohang city conducted two voluntary detailed safety inspections on its own — in 2020 and 2024 — receiving ratings of B and C, respectively.

In response, the city spent about 700 million won ($483,000) from July through December last year on repair work, including replacing the bridge's wooden deck.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com