Collapse at the Gwangju Representative Library construction site [Yonhap News]

Construction officials identified as responsible for the collapse of the Gwangju Representative Library, which resulted in four deaths, have been arrested six months after the incident.

On the 12th, Gwangju District Court Chief Judge Choi Yoon-young issued pre-arrest warrants for four individuals, including Mr. A, on charges of professional negligence resulting in death and violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The court acknowledged the necessity of their detention during a hearing for the pre-arrest warrants held the previous day.

The four arrested individuals include the site manager of the Gwangju Representative Library's construction company, the CEO and site manager of a subcontractor, and the chief supervisor.

They are accused of causing the deaths of four workers by failing to implement basic safety measures, such as construction practices as stipulated in the structural design drawings.

The police and labor authorities applied for the arrest warrants, citing sufficient evidence of criminal charges and the grave nature of the incident, including the need to prevent similar accidents.

Arrest warrants for seven other suspects, including a construction company official and a site welder who underwent the warrant review hearing along with Mr. A, were dismissed.

The collapse at the Gwangju Representative Library construction site occurred on December 11th of last year when a steel structure collapsed at the construction site in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju.

Four workers, including construction workers and employees of a government material supplier, were buried under debris and died at the scene.

According to investigations by specialized agencies such as the National Disaster and Safety Research Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the primary causes of the accident were analyzed as deficiencies in fundamental construction practices such as welding at the joints of the steel structure, the use of unqualified welders, and supervisory negligence.

To date, the police have booked 40 suspects, including four public officials from the Gwangju City (Comprehensive Construction Headquarters), which was the ordering party.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency's Major Crimes Investigation Division, which is investigating the case, is also examining whether there were structural issues such as bidding irregularities and multi-level subcontracting.