[Anchor]

A short time ago, a 9cm gap on Seoul's Seongsu Bridge shocked citizens. Now, a similar gap has been found on Dongjak Bridge.

While the Seoul Metropolitan Government has explained that "there are no safety issues," reporter Kim Minjun investigated the actual situation on site.

[Reporter]

This is the entry ramp on the northern end of Dongjak Bridge in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Countless vehicles pass through here every day to cross the bridge, and a notice sign from the Seoul Metropolitan Government is posted on one side, stating that "structures are being measured to verify stability."

This is the point where two sections of the approach bridge pier connect, and as you can see, gaps like this have formed.

If you measure it directly, you can see that the length is about 10cm.

Earlier this month, a gap of about 9cm was confirmed on the entry ramp of Seongsu Bridge in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, prompting a series of reports from citizens. Now, in less than a month, a gap of a similar length has been discovered on another bridge.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that "for both bridges, the gaps occurred as the sand and soil-based ground gradually eroded away."

Regarding the gap on Dongjak Bridge, it added, "It was first identified in 2023 and has been inspected periodically since then, and there are no safety issues."

[Seoul Metropolitan Government Official: Since it is a soil section, air will naturally escape and it will settle slightly as time passes. The gap was formed during that process.]

Experts point out that since Dongjak Bridge has been in use for over 40 years since its completion in 1984, it is necessary to reinforce it by using a "grouting" method, which injects concrete and other materials into unstable ground.

[Lee Soo-gon / Former Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Seoul: (The area near the entry ramp) is a riverbed, so I think the sand can wash away little by little. Then, we need to do grouting there to prevent additional erosion (and reinforce it).]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is currently conducting a comprehensive inspection of the entry ramps of Han River bridges, and plans to strip away the road pavement at the Seongsu Bridge site on the 29th to verify the stability of the ground where the gap occurred.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video Reporter: Jang Woon-seok, Video Editor: Lee Hong-myung, Design: Kim Ye-ji)