Watch your step! That sinkhole is a doozy. We explore the growing concerns of sinkholes in Korea, what causes them, and how to spot one before it collapses.
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Devon Hiphner Gabi Palomino Steve Marsh Eva Sikora Ron Chang Mackenzie Moore Minseok Lee Hunter Winter Cecilia Löfgren Dumas Josephine Rydberg Devin Buchanan Ashley Wright George Irion
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Shaaron Cullen Devon Hiphner Minseok Lee Jane Hargrave Alix Radilla Ryan Berkebile Ashley Rigby Gabi Palomino Steve Marsh Chad Struhs Mitchy Brewer Sarah Ford Toni A
Notes
April 16, 2014; anniversary of Titanic (April 14-15, 1912)
Biggest peacetime disaster
304 deaths, 172 survivors
One of those events you remember where you were when you heard it.
All the cancellations
I was in a meeting
Conspiracy theories
North Korea sank it
Conspiracy by the far right
A NK submarine would have to go deep into southern SK waters, shoot a silent torpedo that somehow left no hole, and sneak out
Deliberately sunk
Conspiracy by the far left
Gov’t trying to start war with NK
Company trying to get insurance money
Human sacrifice theory
A ceremony to reincarnate Choi Tae-min or Park Chang-hee
PGH referred to the victims as a “noble sacrifice”
Seeded by Choi’s cult background
This weirdly doesn’t make sense because people escaping would be considered blasphemous when committing a human sacrifice
Intentional neglect during the rescue
Even opposition party members believed this one
Submarine accident cover-up
This time it was an accident, and the intentional neglect was to save face for the Korean navy
Some celebrities pushed this one
Cosmetic surgery theory
Believed to be recovering from a skin lift or Botox
Some politicians pursued this one
There was some truth that through Choi Soon-shil, PGH was receiving secret cosmetic procedures, but not around the time of the Sewol
Lotte Hotel rumor
PGH was being given Botox on the VIP room on the 36th floor
Were out of sight until she recovered enough for the cameras
There is no VIP room on the 36th floor, only a banquet room
Meeting a bereaved parent
Shin Jumja hates meeting neighbours; feels they look at her with pity; what’s more, son Hwi-beom didn’t want to go on the trip, afraid of sinking; Shin pushed him to go; compounded bereavement: bereaved parents tend to blame themselves. Therefore…
Bereaved parents need community of bereaved parents; no one outside community understands: don’t try to enter community
Best to say nothing to bereaved parent outside of condolences at the time – never offer condolences after the fact
Be careful to encourage parent to join grief therapy, parent groups, etc.; do not push constantly; if parent appears suicidal, contact professional immediatley
If you meet someone and discover they’re bereaved parent, say nothing unless parents brings it up first; in short, never ask a bereaved parent about their child
Movement today to not ask people when they’re having children – add one more reason that isn’t discussed: they may be bereaved
Modern Korea was shaped as much by its disasters as its achievements. The 21st century started with fires and serial killers as disasters went from a macro to a human level.
(1999) Sealand Youth Training Centre – 23 killed
(1999) Inchon bar fire – 65 killed
(2003) Daegu subway fire – 192 killed
(2003-2004) Yu Yeong-cheol – 20 killed
(2008) Fire in refrigeration distribution warehouse under construction – 40/57 killed
(2008) Namdaemun fire
(2008) Nonhyeon-dong massacre – 6 killed
(2014) Sewol Ferry – 304 killed
(2016) Gangnam bathroom murder
(2017) Jecheon fire – electrical fire in a gym “Noble Fitness and Spa” – 29 killed
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Jamie Staley Shaaron Cullen Devon Hiphner Minseok Lee Laura Casey
NOTES
We’re not going to cover them all.
(June 30, 1999) Sealand Youth Training Centre – 23 killed
Background
Hwaseong
Steel-framed, reinforced concrete
Additional space – stacked cargo containers covered with wood and corrugated iron with flammable styrofoam ceilings
No fire safety measures
No sprinkler system
Most extinguishers not working
No fire alarm
Bad exits
Two with narrow stairways
BUT–had passed fire safety inspections twice
Disaster
Lit mosquito coil shortly after midnight
Late responders – 12:30 a.m. fire / 1:30 a.m. alarm at fire station / arrived 2:00 a.m.
Took 50 hours to get under control
19 children, 4 adults died
18 children from Somang Kindergarten
Most sleeping in room 301
Took two weeks to identify all the bodies
Aftermath
Sealand Park owner and six Hawseong officials charged with involuntary manslaughter & violation of building laws PLUS bribery charges
Also borrowed a construction designer’s construction license
Four architects and builders were also arrested
Somang Kindergarten officials arrested
Were off drinking rather than watching their children
Outcry – Greater enforcement of safety standards
(Oct 30, 1999) Incheon bar fire – 65 killed
Background
3rd worst fire in modern history
3-story wood and brick building
Restaurant on first floor
Illegal hof on second floor (Live 2 Hof House)
Eight days prior – police had ordered it shut down
No license
Spot check – thought it was closed
Likely tipped off
“Every time the police had a surprise inspection, the owner kicked the children out and shut down the bar,” Ko Kyung Mi said. “But I am sure that the police knew about the situation.”
Many under aged (97 of 129 known victims)
Youngest killed was 13
High school students coming from a high school festival
Many still had on their uniforms
Disaster
Cause – Basement noraebang
Undergoing renovation
Two teenage part-time students playing with fire
Extinguished in the room, but inter-wall materials spread the fire throughout the building
Door locked from outside
Overheard owner told staff to lock the doors and not let anyone out until they paid for their drinks
Then left
Similarities to Sampoong?
More than 100 trapped inside
Most deaths from smoke inhalation on 2nd floor beer hall and 3rd floor billiard room (NBA Billiards)
Poor fire codes
Windows couldn’t open and were almost indestructible
3rd floor was able to break the windows
Narrow corridors and stairs
Stairs were a chimney
One small exit
No sprinklers
Removed during renovation
Fire extinguishers, but happened so fast that people couldn’t use them
Aftermath
Worst fire since the ‘70s
Building owner jumped from the 3rd floor and survived with injuries
Pub owner and four workers arrested
Owner tried to run away but turned himself in
Five years in prison
Went into ministry and tried to become a Christian singer
Busted in March for violation of codes but bribed officials (arrested)
“There was no place to play”
Prevalence of adult-friendly entertainment districts and no place for teens to go
Commercial district (Inhyeon-dong) collapsed
Memorial – Incheon Student Education and Culture Center (near site)
(Feb 18, 2003) Daegu subway fire – 192 killed
Arsonist set fire to a train
Fire spread across two trains within minutes
Largest peacetime deliberate human disaster
Kim Dae-han
56-year-old unemployed taxi driver
(2001) Had a stroke and wasn’t satisfied with medical treatment
Wanted to kill himself and take others with him
Disaster
Was opening cartons and fumbling with a lighter
Passengers tried to stop him
Spilled one of the cartons, which caught fire
Kim escaped with injuries
Insulation made fire spread, along with vinyl and plastic on seat cushions and strap handles
Train operator didn’t notify officials of fire
Another train entered the station and stopped
Automatic fire detector SHUT DOWN THE POWER, trapping the train
Operator told passengers to REMAIN SEATED
Was told by officials to kill the engine and leave
Took the master key and escaped, but in doing so kept the doors shut
Unprepared
No fire extinguishers
No sprinklers or emergency lighting
Poor emergency ventilation systems
Late responders
Because smoked prevented them from entering for 3.5 hours
Aftermath
Attempted cover-up
Escaped operator couldn’t be found for 10 hours
Transcript omissions
Better fire safety equipment in subway stations
Interiors sprayed with fire-resistant chemicals
Six Daegu stations refurbished
This is why there are instruction with a cartoon man with a defined butt crack showing how to open subway doors
Operators of both trains charged with negligence
Sentenced 4-5 years in prison
Kim Dae-han convicted of arson and homicide
Sentenced to life (though prosecutors pushed for death)
Died in 2004
(2008) Daegu Safety Theme Park opened
(2003-2004) Yu Yeong-cheol – 20 killed
One of the better known murderers
Father was a Vietnam War vet
Alcoholic
Gambler
Left family*
Yoo was violent when young, but athletic
Artistic, wanted to be an artist
Dropped out of school
Aug.23, 1988 committed first known crime – theft
Exempt from military service
1991, got married, had a son
Throughout 90s, committed 14 counts of theft and rape, total 7 years in prison
March, 2000, sentenced 3.5 years in prison for raping a teenage girl (sent to Jeonju Prison)
Wife filed for divorce
September, 2003, released from prison
Lived with mother in Seoul
Became fascinated with murder
Killed a dog to experiment
Stabbed the dog
Was put off by the blood, dog’s hollering, and squirming
Decided it was best to hit victims in the head first
Later that month, first murder
Most victims were bludgeoned (usually with a hammer or similar tool) then stabbed
He started killing wealthy elderly (men and women), often in their homes, before moving on to raping and murdering women (often masseuses/prostitutes, usually in their 20s)
Victims were bludgeoned or raped or both before being murdered; several were dismembered and cannibalised
Victims ranged between early 20s and mid-80s
July 2004, captured
Convicted of 20 murders
Rape was later added to convictions
December 2004, sentenced to death
June 2005, death sentence was lowered to life by Supreme Court
Currently in Seoul Detention Centre
2010, reestablishing the death penalty was reviewed by Minister of Justice
Violent serial killers were the key focus; Yoo was the key example for ministry’s review
Review was abandoned
(Jan 7, 2008) Fire in refrigeration distribution warehouse under construction – 40/57 killed
Cause – Sparks from welding landed on chemicals
Safety issues
Fire dept issued safety inspection certificate WITHOUT INSPECTING
Workers not given safety training
Bballi Bballi pressure to finish
Fire suppression wasn’t operational–locked down
Aftermath
Building owners sentenced 20 million won
Avoided prison
(Feb 10, 2008) Namdaemun fire
Chae Jong-gi (69 years old)
Upset he hadn’t been paid in full for land sold to developers
(2006) Had also tried to set Changgyeonggung on fire
Namdaemun targeted because
Lax security
Didn’t want to cause casualties (so no trains or buses–thanks, dude)
Aftermath
Now has fire suppression systems and CCTVs
Other sites got the same treatment
(Oct 20, 2008) Nonhyeon-dong massacre – 6 killed
Goshiwon 3rd floor, Jeong Sang-jin (30) set his room on fire and slashed several women with a sushi knife while wearing all black and a headlamp and goggles
One woman died when she jumped out of a window
Jeong was thought to be a victim and was rescued from a storage room, where he was hiding
Jeong Sang-jin
Financial hardships
Was picked on his whole life
Skipped reservist training
Wanted to target the rich and high authorities, but went for who was convenient
Modern Korea was shaped as much by its disasters as its achievements. The 1990s were known as “The Disaster Republic.” The earlier decade’s rush to build the country resulted in horrific building and bridge collapses.
We wrap up our disaster series by covering the 21st century. Fires, serial killers, and the Sewol Ferry. Subscribe to get it as soon as it’s published.
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Jamie Staley Shaaron Cullen Devon Hiphner Minseok Lee Laura Casey
NOTES
(October 28, 1992) Murder of Yoon Geum-yi
Yoon (26) was a sex worker at Dongducheon; she worked at a bar at a camptown (kijichon)
Camptowns surround USKF bases
Poor women were often recruited as sex workers in kichijon; they were stigmatized by classism, then more so as sex workers
She had a dispute with Private Ken Markle
Markle hit Yoon repeatedly over the head with a bottle
Markle violated Yoon with a bottle and umbrella both vaginally and anally; he stuffed her mouth with matches and covered her body in laundry detergent
Yoon’s murder infuriated some of the Korean public
Kim Hyun-sook: ‘Yoon is material evidence of imperialist violence against the bodies of Korean women.’
New dialogue about gender and sex crimes
Previous murders of camptown sex workers happened
Woman named Park was murdered and mutilated in 1960s by US serviceman; no legal action was taken, no apology was made; residents of camptown had to raise funds for funeral
Proper funerals often didn’t happen because money couldn’t be raised or bodies were never found
Camptown sex workers were looked down upon, their murders not considered worthwhile
Images of Yoon’s body were circulated by activists
Goal was to highlight the class differences between camptown workers and other Koreans, and show the violence that exists in camptowns by military personnel
Grace M. Cho: ‘(Yoon) would serve as a haunting reminder to those who tried to distinguish themselves from her by making her presence felt as the excluded outsider that threatens the boundary.’
Committee on the Murder of Yoon Geum-yi was formed; this became the National Campaign for Eradication of Crime by US Troops in Korea
Korean government compensated Yoon’s family $70,000
Markle convicted of rape and murder in ‘93; initially sentenced to life, reduced to 15 years because Yoon’s family received compensation from US gov
Served sentence in Cheonan
Given parole in August ‘06, left for US the next day
Judiciary committee granted parole because Markle was deemed ‘unlikely to commit another crime’; financial agreement was reached with Yoon’s family
Modern Korea was shaped as much by its disasters as its achievements. The 1980s saw its share of air disasters and terrorism from North Korea. Plus the Hwaseong serial murders that weren’t solved until 2019.
(1980) Korean Air Lines Flight 015 crash
(1983) February 1982 Korean Air Force C-123 accident
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Jamie Staley Shaaron Cullen Devon Hiphner Minseok Lee Laura Casey
NOTES
(1980) Korean Air Lines Flight 015 crash (pilot error) – 15 killed, 226 on board
LAX to Seoul (Gimpo) – stop in Anchorage, AK
Crashed while landing
Calm wind but patchy fog w/1000 meters visibility
Circled several times
Pilot reported trouble with the controls shortly before beginning landing at 7:15 a.m.
90 meters short, embankment slope
Hit anti-aircraft gun emplacement
Wing hit a parked military vehicle
Pushed landing gears into the cargo compartment, rupturing it
Slid down runway on nose gear and belly, fire
Wings were intact
Fuel tank not ruptured, not much left anyway
Fire in cargo department from sparks and hydraulic fluid
6 crew, 9 passengers killed, 4 seriously injured
Among the killed
Pilot & Crew 5 Koreans, 1 Hong Konger
1 American, 1 Japanese
From the upper deck?
Quick actions by the crew to open emergency exits and chutes are credited for the large number of survivors
Evaluation
[from Code 7700] Minimums for the approach were 500m visibility and decision height of 200 feet
Would have seen the lights but not the runway at 200 feet
At 100 feet, would have seen the runway
Speculation: A pilot without the discipline or experience to remain on the instruments would be tempted to dive for the runway when they glimpsed it, ducking under the glide path
“ a classic novice instrument pilot mistake”
(1982) February 1982 Korean Air Force C-123 accident – 53 killed
On approach
Bad weather on training mission
Crashed into Mt. Halla in Jeju
Fourth worst in Korean history
47 passengers and six crew killed
All passengers soldiers from army’s elite 707th Special Mission Battalion
(1983) Korean Air Lines 007
NYC – Seoul via Anchorage
(Sept 1, 1983) Shot down by Soviet Su-15 Interceptor
Navigation error
Flew through prohibited soviet air space
Same time as a U.S. aerial reconnaissance mission
Treated it as a spy plane
Four MiG-23 fighters were deployed
Fired warning shots (likely not seen by pilots)
Not incendiary shells
Plane climbed to a higher altitude to save fuel
Interpreted as an evasive maneuver
Fired air-to-air missiles
The crew were able to stabilize the aircraft for five minutes. Then it spiraled out of control and broke apart
All 269 passengers plus crew killed
Rep. Larry McDonald (Ga)
Root causes
One of the beacons used for programming the autopilot in Anchorage was down for repairs
Autopilot was on HEADING mode (based on magnetic positioning) when it should have been switched to INS mode (pre-programmed) after passing Bethel, AK and had already veered too far off course to kick in
Not detected by crew
Communications not connected (using VHF rather than HF)
High tensions between U.S. and Soviet Union
Lots of missile programs and deployments and naval exercises
Old guard Soviet hierarchy viewed this as provocative
Some believe Reagan was plotting a secret nuclear attack
U.S. aircraft had routinely been violating Soviet air space, and military officials were getting punished for not doing anything about it
A soviet missile test was scheduled in that area on the same day
A radar that would have been able to track and identify it as civilian was under repair, and those responsible lied to Moscow that it was operational
There was a recorded debate between Gen. Valery Kamensky and his subordinate, Gen. Anatoly Kornukov over whether to identify it first
Entered, left and re-entered Soviet airspace. When it re-entered, it was classified as a target
Planes made visual contact but couldn’t identify it as civilian because of night
Kornukov gave the order to shoot it down before it returned to international air space
Recollection of pilot who shot it down
Saw blinking lights, indicating it was a civilian aircraft
But felt it could easily be a ruse
Didn’t mention it was a Boeing sized aircraft because no one asked
The pilot’s recollection sounds like an overeager mall cop
Soviets initially denied knowledge
Then admitted to it but saying it was a U.S. provocation to test boundaries of Soviet Union preparedness or to provoke a war
Lied that the plane was running without lights, that tracer bullets were fired, or had radio contact
Impeded search and rescue and hid evidence from International Civil Aviation Organization
One of the most tense moments of the Cold War
Aftermath
U.S. altered tracking procedures for aircraft departing from Alaska
Autopilot interface altered to make it more ergonomic
One of the incidents that pushed the Reagan administration to allow worldwide access to GPS
The U.S., Japan, and U.S.S.R. set up joint radar coverage of civilian aircraft
Soviets found flight recorder but kept it secret until 1993
Korean pilot in Monthly Chosun 1996 who took off behind Flight 007:
Policy of punishing crews for mistakes kept them from turning back
Loss of face
Radioed the pilot of the plane and asked why slipping behind schedule
Answer: “The wind is strong.”
Answer was short and hasty, like he was hiding something
Fear of punishment as KAL policy caused them to take risks
Believes INS wasn’t functioning because path was too meandering
Says there were many instances of Korean pilot errors in using navigation equipment and airline’s punitive reactions
Coordinates are entered at the boarding gate
If error discovered in flight, hard to correct
Must return to airport
(1982) Flight from Paris
Pilots discovered autopilot navigation error
Returned to Paris
Pilot was suspended for 20 days
Flight from Honolulu mistakenly put in coordinates for Hong Kong
Returned to airport
Pilot severely punished
Flight Anchorage to Seoul
Student pilot put in incorrect coordinates
Feared punishment, so crew flew by compass
Found a J.A.L. plane and followed it
The pilot in the interview brought it up with KAL management, but they didn’t change policy
(1986) Gimpo International Airport bombing (NK) – 5 killed
September 14, leading up to Asian Games
South warned that North may disrupt Games
North didn’t participate in Games; convinced Vietnam and Cambodia to boycott
South gave up hosting Games in 1970 due to North’s threats
Occurred 15:12 international terminal
Blast source was metal trash bin near taxi stand
Victims
Kim Bong-deok (42), Ok Geun-sook (34), Kim Hyun-joo (?), Ok Kun (22) (parents, daughter, mother’s brother; other members of the family were injured); family just said goodbye to relative at departure terminal
Yoo Joo-han (41), airport employee changing a lightbulb
Approximately 30+ injured, 20+ seriously (initial reports)
Heavy structural damage to walls, windows, etc
Batteries and wiring were discovered
South suggested explosion was similar to Daegu (82) and Rangoon (83)
Daegu was blamed on potential dissidents, but likely North (2 deaths)
Rangoon was blamed on North (21 deaths, 46 injured)
Assassination attempt on Chun Doo-hwan
Three bombs detonated, collapsed Martyrs Mausoleum roof
17 Korean politicians, security personnel, and journalists died
Government protests were occurring at the time (see our episode)
Expected visitor numbers decreased
Result: massive increase in security for future events
(Nov 29, 1987) Korean Air Flight 858 (NK attack)
Baghdad→ Seoul
Exploded midflight
Background
Agents flew to Moscow
Traveled to Budapest then Vienna
Were given two forged Japanese passports and posed as tourists in Vienna
Flew to Belgrade
Received the time bomb
Panasonic transistor radio and a bottle of explosive disguised as a liquor bottle to intensify the blast
People today questioning: They could bring those on planes?
Baghdad
Waited 3.5 hours for KAL 858 to arrive
Planted the explosives above their seats
Abu Dhabi
Left
Had purchased tickets from Abu Dhabi to Rome as an escape
Tried to fly to Amman, Jordan, as part of their escape
Trouble with travel visas
Flew to Bahrain
Flight itself
On the leg from Abu Dhabi to Thailand
Carrying 104 passengers and 11 crew
Exploded nine hours after it had been planted, almost towards the end of the flight
Most all on board except two were South Korean
Young construction workers returning home
Bahrain
Planned to travel to Rome
Passports spotted as forgeries
Took cyanide capsules hidden in cigarettes
One died
Woman survived – Kim Hyon-hui
Tried to claim she was a Chinese orphan raised in Japan
The cigarettes were a dead giveaway
Weird story about how she came around
Shown TV of South Korea that contradicted everything she was taught to believe
Threw her arms around the female investigator and confessed to the bombing
Planned by Kim Jong-Il before he came to power
Meant as a scare tactic before the 1988 Olympics
Aftermath
Helped Chun Doo-Hwan to get his successor Roh Tae-Woo elected
Put NK on state sponsors of terorrism list
NK denies
Kim Hyon-hui sentenced to death
Pardoned by Roh Tae-woo
Claimed she was brainwashed
Published a book in 1993 The Tears of My Soul
1990 – Mayumi
Kim Hyon Hui now lives in an undisclosed location under security
(1986-1991) Hwaseong serial murders – 10 killed (4 others connected/confessed)
Lee Choon-jae
Murders took place in Hwaseong City (districts: Taean, Jeongnam, Paltan, Dongtan), southwest of Seoul
Victims – aged 7 to 71; most we taken from secluded areas and/or at night; there were few street lights and no CCTVs – one victim was murdered in her bed; rural community at the time
September 15, 1986: Lee Wan-im (71)
October 20, 1986: Park Hyun-sook (25)
December 12, 1986: Kwon Jung-bon (25)
December 14, 1986: Lee Kye-sook (23)
January 10, 1987: Jong Jin-young (18)
May 2, 1987: Park Eun-joo (29)
*December 24, 1987: 18 year old victim
September 7, 1988: Ahn Gi-soon (54)
September 16, 1988: Park Sang-hee (13; murdered at home)
*July 7, 1989: 7 year old victim
November 15, 1990: Kim Mi-jeong (14)
*January 26, 1991: 15 year old victim
*March 7, 1991: 27 year old victim
April 3, 1991: Kwon Soon-sang (67)
Victims were raped and strangled, often with articles of their clothing; used hands in early murders; panties on victims’ faces; later murders: peach slices, razor blades, utensils, pens found
Shamans performed rituals; soothsayers were consulted
Largest single investigation in Korean history at the time
2 million+ person hours
21,000+ suspects
July 27, 1989: Yoon Sang-yeo arrested, later convicted for murder of Park Sang-hee (victim 8)
Loose forensic connection
Admitted guilt
Deemed copycat murder
Murders went unsolved for decades
September 18, 2019
Lee Choon-jae linked through DNA; confessed
Confessed to other murders and 30+ rapes
January 13, 1994: Lee raped/murdered sister-in-law (18)
Was serving life sentence when confessed
Sentence was reduced from death penalty
If he was executed, Hwaseong Murders may have never been solved
Yoon Sang-yeo had already served 20 years
Criminal record expunged
Statute of limitations protects Lee from ever being charged
Statute went through revisions before being removed (2015); not retroactive
Modern Korea was shaped as much by its disasters as its achievements. In the first of four episodes, we cover sinkings, fires, hijackings, and mass murders that still echo through society.
(Jan 9, 1953) Ferry MV Changgyeong sinking
(1969) Korean Air Lines YS-11 hijacking
(Dec 15, 1970) Sinking of Namyoung-Ho ferry
(1971) Gimpo mass shooting
(Dec 25, 1971) Daeyeongak Hotel fire – Deadliest hotel fire in world history
At the beginning of the Korean War, panic and confusion overtook Seoul as North Korean forces rapidly advanced south.
As refugees crowded onto the Hangang Bridge trying to escape the city, the South Korean military detonated the bridge without properly warning civilians. Hundreds were killed instantly, while thousands more were stranded behind enemy lines.
In this episode, we explore the tragedy of the Han River Bridge bombing, the political decisions that led to it, and the lasting controversy surrounding one of the darkest moments of the opening days of the Korean War.
Angel Earl Joel Bonomini Devon Hiphner Gabi Palomino Steve Marsh Eva Sikora Hunter Winter Cecilia Löfgren Dumas Ashley Wright Edward Bradford Boram Yoon Chad Struhs Stewart MacMillan Louise Dreisig
The Han River Bridge Bombing
Seoul was already collapsing before the bridge exploded. The government just hadn’t admitted it yet.
At 4 a.m. on June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea in a coordinated assault codenamed “Tempest.” The timing could not have been worse for the South Korean military. It was farming season. Many soldiers were away helping their families in the countryside. Some officers were reportedly drinking at a party at Army headquarters when the attack began. Within five hours, North Korean forces had already pushed down from the 38th Parallel to Gaeseong. Within two days, they were approaching Seoul.
The South Korean government tried to project confidence, but panic was already spreading through the city.
“Stay in Your Positions”
On June 27, Syngman Rhee addressed the nation over loudspeakers in the first nationwide emergency broadcast in Korean history. He told citizens that Seoul would be defended and urged them to stay where they were.
“We have decided to defend Seoul. So trust the government, and stay in your positions.”
The message repeated throughout the day. But people noticed something odd. The audio sounded distant. Hollow. Like a long-distance phone call.
That was because it was.
The Blue House was already empty. Rhee had secretly fled Seoul by train to Daejeon with much of his cabinet while telling citizens to remain calm and stay put.
It was a moment that echoed another infamous retreat in Korean history. During the Imjin War in 1592, King Seonjo abandoned Seoul and fled north as Japanese forces advanced toward the capital. According to historical accounts, commoners were so enraged by the abandonment that palace buildings were looted and set ablaze shortly after he fled. The sense that leaders protect themselves first during national disasters has a long memory in Korea.
The parallels feel uncomfortably familiar even today. During the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014, students were repeatedly told to stay where they were and wait for instructions while the ship sank around them. Many obeyed because they trusted authority figures who were supposed to know what was happening. In both tragedies, official reassurances collided catastrophically with reality.
The Rush Toward the River
Meanwhile, the reality of the war was arriving in Seoul faster than official information. Injured soldiers and refugees streamed southward into the city. Rumors spread. Civilians realized the government was lying. Soon the roads filled with people trying to escape before the North Koreans arrived.
The problem was geography.
At the time, Seoul did not have many crossings over the Han River. The main escape route was the Hangang Bridge, originally completed in 1900. It was never designed to handle the sheer volume of military traffic, refugees, carts, and vehicles now crammed onto it. Still, thousands poured across it through the night because there was nowhere else to go.
The Decision to Blow the Bridge
South Korean military leadership had already decided to abandon Seoul and slow the North Korean advance by destroying the bridge. Engineers spent much of June 27 placing over 1,600 kilograms of TNT on the structure. A demolition warning was technically issued late that night.
Technically.
No proper evacuation order was ever given to the civilians still flooding onto the bridge. The military also failed to block access before detonation. So at 2:30 in the morning on June 28, with refugees, soldiers, and vehicles still crossing, the explosives went off.
The Explosion
Eyewitness accounts are horrifying. People were thrown into the river along with cars and twisted steel. Survivors described bloodied civilians crawling through wreckage. One witness recalled seeing a man with his foot severed off crying for his mother.
Hundreds died instantly. Estimates range between 500 and 1,000 people killed, with 800 often cited as the official number.
And the explosion accomplished far less militarily than hoped.
Large portions of the South Korean Army, including members of the 5th Division, were stranded north of the river after the bridge collapsed. Equipment was abandoned and captured by advancing North Korean forces. By 11 a.m. that same day, North Korean troops had crossed the Han River anyway and occupied Seoul.
Panic, Confusion, and Scapegoats
The bridge bombing quickly became one of the defining symbols of the confusion and incompetence that marked the opening phase of the Korean War. It also revealed how quickly governments under pressure will sacrifice civilians while insisting everything is under control.
Naturally, someone needed to take the blame.
Colonel Choi Changsik, the officer connected to the demolition order, was executed later that year. Decades afterward, a court declared him innocent after reviewing the case brought forward by his widow. The court concluded he had acted under superior orders.
It was a familiar pattern in Korean history: disastrous decisions made at the top, followed by punishment handed downward to whoever was politically convenient.
Remembering the Victims
For decades, the victims of the bridge bombing were barely acknowledged publicly. It was not until 2007 that a formal memorial service was first held by a veterans’ peace organization.
Even today, the story is less internationally known than many other Korean War tragedies, despite the fact that it involved a government destroying its own bridge while civilians were still escaping across it.
The Han River has seen plenty of death over Seoul’s long history. But few moments capture the terror and confusion of war quite like the destruction of the Hangang Bridge in June 1950.
Join the Discussion
Do you think the bridge bombing was a military necessity, or a preventable disaster?
Let us know in the comments and subscribe for more stories from Korea’s darker history.
In July 2011, a landslide was triggered by heavy rains on a mountain on the southern side of Seoul. It crashed through apartment buildings and resulted in deaths and destruction. Your host, Joe, was caught in that. Here’s his story.
Video of the Umyeonsan Landslides
My video
EBS broadcasting building
This is a video done by EBS about how it hit their studios, where I was broadcasting at the time. The studio where they taped the popular children’s show Ppoong-Ppoong-i looked like the set of Lord of the RIngs.
The military and police and others worked hard to make the building usable for the most basic of broadcasting. They set up temporary generators outside the building. Cleared trees from the inside of the building.
The video shows them clearing walking space in the mud and making one radio booth usable. We did shows from there for a month with no air conditioning, trekking in and out through the mud paths in the hallways.
