Sampoong Department Store Collapse

Case Status
Closed
Korean Title: 삼풍백화점 붕괴사고
Seocho-gu, Seoul1995년 6월 29일 • Updated: 2024-03-10
Medical Accident

Case Overview

A major building collapse that killed 502 people. Poor construction and excessive design changes were identified as the cause.

Detailed Account

This case is... one of the worst disasters in Korean construction history. It was truly shocking. On June 29, 1995, at 5:52 PM, the Sampoong Department Store in Seocho-dong, Seoul suddenly collapsed. The entire 20-story building came crashing down. That day, countless people were in the department store. Shoppers, office workers, children... no one could have imagined the building would collapse. Do you know how massive this disaster was? 502 deaths, 6 missing, 937 injured. It was the worst casualties in Korean construction history. Even more shocking was that this disaster could have been prevented. When the cause of the accident was investigated, it was found to be problematic from the very beginning. Originally designed as a mixed-use building, it was changed to a department store, requiring excessive design modifications. Heavy air conditioning units were also installed on the 5th floor. The building couldn't handle the load. More serious was the shoddy construction. They didn't use proper reinforcing steel, and the concrete strength didn't meet standards. The construction company cut corners to save costs. Even on the day of the accident, there were warning signs. There were testimonies that cracks appeared in the building and strange sounds were heard. But proper measures weren't taken. The rescue operation was truly tragic. The building had completely collapsed, making it extremely difficult to find survivors. Still, they continued the rescue work without giving up. There were people who were miraculously rescued. When Park Seung-hyun was rescued 16 days after the collapse, the entire nation was moved. But too many people had already lost their lives. After this accident, Korea's construction industry changed significantly. Building codes were strengthened and safety management became much stricter. But it was already too late - many lives had been sacrificed. The Sampoong Department Store accident taught us a great lesson. That safety can never be compromised, and how small negligence can lead to such massive disasters. Now there's a building called Acrovista at that site. But many people still remember that day's disaster. Praying for the souls of the victims... we can only hope that such a thing never happens again. There's a saying that safety is written on someone's blood. The Sampoong Department Store disaster is proof of that.

Evidence & Documentation

Building collapse site evidence

View Source →

Shoddy construction assessment report

View Source →

Blueprint analysis results

View Source →

Survivor testimonies

View Source →

Rescue operation records

View Source →

Witnesses & Testimonies

Rescue workers

View Interview →

Multiple witnesses

Direct testimony

Construction officials

View Interview →

Related Cases

  • Seongsu Bridge Collapse
  • Other building collapse accidents

Case Information

Date:1995년 6월 29일
Location:Seocho-gu, Seoul
Status:Closed
Category:Medical Accident
Evidence:5 items
Witnesses:4 persons

Keywords

Sampoong Department Storecollapseshoddy constructiondisasterarchitecture

Other Cases

Sampoong Department Store Collapse | Closed Medical Accident | NIGHTMARE WORLD | NIGHTMARE WORLD