The Seoul city government began the emergency demolition of the remaining Seosomun elevated road structures at midnight on May 28 [1].

The operation is critical to clearing debris from the Seodaemun-gu area, which is necessary to reopen Seosomun-ro to traffic and allow the Gyeongui Line to resume rail operations [2].

The project follows a conditional approval from the Ministry of Employment and Labor [3]. According to city officials, the total demolition process is expected to take 29 hours [4].

The timeline includes 15 hours for safety preparation and demolition work, followed by 14 hours for final finishing tasks [5]. The city government said the goal is to complete the work by 5 a.m. on May 30 [6].

Once the structures are removed, the city intends to resume the operation of the first train on the Gyeongui Line [7]. The effort focuses on removing the remaining debris that currently obstructs the transit corridors in the Seosomun area [2].

"The goal is to complete the work by 5 a.m. on Saturday and then resume the operation of the first train on the Gyeongui Line," a Seoul city official said [6].

“The total demolition process is expected to take 29 hours”

The coordinated effort between the Seoul city government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor highlights the urgency of restoring key transit arteries. By prioritizing a rapid 29-hour window for demolition and safety clearing, the city aims to minimize the economic and logistical disruption caused by the blocked Seosomun-ro and the suspended Gyeongui Line services.