Busan city officials and police closed the entrance to the Naeseong underground road after reports of new ground subsidence [1], [2].
The closure disrupts a key access point for the Mandeok-Centum deep-level section in the Dongrae District. This recurring instability raises concerns about the long-term structural integrity of the area's underground infrastructure.
This is the second time in a short period that the road has faced such issues. Initial ground subsidence triggered a series of repairs on April 5, 2024 [2]. Despite those efforts, fresh reports of sinking ground emerged on April 17, 2024 [2].
City officials are managing the site to prevent accidents. The current issue involves a difference in ground levels, which officials described as a slight undulating effect. The city is reviewing options for additional repairs and full repaving of the affected area [1], [2].
"There is a slight undulating feeling, so we are continuing to monitor and observe, and we are all aware that repaving will be necessary when the time comes," a Busan city official said [1].
The closure remains in effect while technicians assess the extent of the subsidence. Police continue to control traffic flow around the entrance to ensure public safety while the city determines the timeline for the necessary reconstruction [1], [2].
“Busan city officials and police closed the entrance to the Naeseong underground road after reports of new ground subsidence.”
The repeated failure of repairs at the Naeseong underground road suggests that the initial fixes addressed the symptoms rather than the root cause of the soil instability. Because this occurs in a deep-level section of the city's transit network, the recurrence of subsidence may indicate broader geological challenges or construction flaws that require a more comprehensive engineering solution than simple repaving.
