More than half of the aging bridges included in a South Korean government safety review had no recorded repair or reinforcement work from 2022 through June 2026, despite receiving the two lowest safety ratings. Data submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport showed that 62 of the 115 bridges inspected, or 53.9 percent, had no such work recorded during that period.
The joint inspection covered bridges rated D, meaning inadequate, or E, meaning poor. The review was launched following the collapse of the Seosomun elevated roadway in Seoul. The figures were disclosed on October 5 by the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Boo Seung-chan, a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee.
Repair records lagged safety findings
Serious defects had been identified at least once in 84 of the inspected bridges. Among those structures, 34, or 40.5 percent, had no repair or reinforcement record for the same period. The data does not establish that every identified defect remained untreated, but the absence of recorded work raises questions about how inspection findings translated into maintenance action.
- Bridges with serious defects
- 84 of the 115 inspected bridges
- Lowest-rated bridges
- Eleven bridges held an E safety rating
- Local government responsibility
- 112 of the 115 inspected bridges
The most severe category showed a concentrated defect burden. Eleven bridges held an E rating as of the end of June, and inspectors had identified 93 serious defects across them. Two of those bridges had no recorded repair or reinforcement work from 2022 through June 2026. Gyeongju Bridge in Gyeongju accounted for 32 serious defects, the largest bridge-specific figure cited in the disclosed material.
Responsibility for maintenance rests overwhelmingly with local governments: 112 of the 115 bridges were under municipal or provincial control, while three were managed by the transport ministry. Scrutiny will focus on whether the responsible authorities document corrective work and respond to the serious defects identified during inspections.