Gwangju: The Supreme Court confirmed guilty verdicts against construction officials involved in the fatal 2021 building collapse in Gwangju. The court's decision finalized the sentences for those accountable for the tragedy that occurred on June 9, 2021, when a five-story building fell during demolition, leading to nine fatalities and eight serious injuries.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the court upheld a previous ruling, imposing a 2 1/2-year sentence on a 51-year-old excavator operator, surnamed Cho, and a two-year sentence on a 32-year-old site manager, surnamed Kang. Additionally, a 63-year-old site supervisor, surnamed Cha, received a 1 1/2-year term, suspended for three years, for failing to inspect the site properly. These individuals, from subcontracted companies, faced charges of occupational negligence resulting in death and violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
The court found no fault with the lower court's legal reasoning, affirming its decision. Furthermore, this marks the first time a main contractor was held accountable for the safety measures of subcontractor employees. The court upheld suspended sentences against four officials from HDC Hyundai Development Co., the main contractor, including a suspended two-year term for a 61-year-old site manager, surnamed Seo, alongside a 20 million won (US$14,500) fine against the company.