june04

South Korean rescue teams pulled off a dramatic rescue on Saturday after locating a man trapped in a collapsed subway construction site near Seoul. The man, who had been buried under debris about 30 meters (98 feet) underground, spent roughly 13 hours trapped before being found conscious and quickly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Im Gwang-sik, a fire department official from Gwangmyeong city, confirmed the successful rescue but noted that another worker is still believed to be trapped inside the rubble. Authorities had earlier evacuated the site and shut down nearby traffic after concerns arose that a ventilation shaft might collapse, posing further danger to both workers and rescue crews.

Efforts to find the missing worker are ongoing, with dozens of emergency personnel, vehicles, and three cranes involved in the delicate search operation. The incident has raised concerns about safety protocols at large construction projects in South Korea, especially in densely populated urban areas like the Seoul metropolitan region.