▲ Government Policy Coordination Minister Bang Moon-kyu speaks at a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul on July 28, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ Police investigators examine an underground roadway in the town of Osong, Cheongju, South Korea, on July 20, 2023, where 14 people were killed following the overflowing of a nearby river triggered by torrential rain on July 15. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) underpass flooding-investigation

(LEAD) Multiple warnings go unheeded ahead of deadly underpass flooding: gov't

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with more info throughout; ADDS photo)

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- Multiple warnings went unheeded ahead of a deadly underpass flooding that claimed the lives of 14 people earlier this month, the government said Friday, as a total of 36 local government and fire officials have been referred for investigation.

The underground roadway in the central city of Cheongju, 112 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was flooded on July 15 after an embankment was brought down by the rising water level amid torrential downpours, submerging several vehicles, including a bus.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination, under the Prime Minister's Office, conducted an inspection to determine the causes behind the tragic flooding and detected criminal suspicions involving a total of 36 people.

"It was the result of numerous agencies failing to recognize the seriousness of the situation and respond actively, despite receiving several warnings, such as reports," Government Policy Coordination Minister Bang Moon-kyu told a press briefing.

The inspection revealed a total of three calls were made to the 112 and 119 hotlines on the day of the flooding, the office said.

Additionally, a construction supervisor had warned authorities seven times before the incident about the possibility of flooding.

Among those to be referred to the prosecution include 34 public officials from five government agencies, including the North Chungcheong regional government and the National Agency for Administrative City Construction, the office said.

Some of the officials allegedly failed to properly manage and supervise the embankment, while others did not promptly respond to emergency calls urging traffic restrictions around the underpass before the accident occurred.

The inspection identified 63 officials who exhibited negligence and will be reported for disciplinary measures, the office said.

"The government plans to seek the removal of positions for those responsible for the accident, even including elected positions," Bang said.

Moreover, two individuals were found to have demolished the original embankment and constructed a feeble emergency embankment without reporting the change to the authorities.

In consideration of the gravity of the situation, the government launched the inspection just two days after the accident.

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