Authorities suspect that regulatory blind spot contributed to Ulsan power plant collapse
Published: 09 Nov. 2025, 18:42
Updated: 09 Nov. 2025, 18:54
![Officials inspect the remaining Boiler Tower Units 4 and 6 to work on the demolition process at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant on Nov. 9. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/09/cd11533e-8355-406e-b0d3-df26c7409b7a.jpg)
Officials inspect the remaining Boiler Tower Units 4 and 6 to work on the demolition process at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant on Nov. 9. [YONHAP]
Police have secured documents related to the deadly collapse of a boiler tower at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, including administrative papers regarding the demolition permit and the management structure of the premises. Authorities are now reviewing whether the collapsed structure was properly classified and managed under existing regulations.
On Sunday, the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency formed a special task force of over 70 officers, including members of its criminal investigation, forensic science and digital forensics divisions, to investigate the cause of the disaster. The task force will scrutinize the contracts and chain of command for Korea East-West Power, the main contractor HJ Shipbuilding & Construction and the subcontractor Korea Kacoh. Investigators are examining whether proper demolition and safety plans were prepared and whether any oversight responsibilities were neglected.
Authorities now suspect that a regulatory blind spot contributed to the collapse. According to the Nam District Office in Ulsan, the boiler tower was classified as a “structure” rather than a “building,” exempting it from the Building Act or the submission of demolition or safety plans to the local government.
“A demolition plan was submitted for the [Ulsan Thermal Power Plant's] main building — or turbine hall — [...] in September last year, and the permit was granted in November,” said a district office official. “There was no supervision or inspection system in place for the boiler tower, and while the permit document for the turbine hall briefly mentioned the tower, it contained no specific details about how it would be dismantled.”
![Officials inspect the remaining Boiler Tower Units 4 and 6 to work on the demolition process at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant on Nov. 9. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/09/f42c93e9-55f6-482f-9053-921d1acdbf08.jpg)
Officials inspect the remaining Boiler Tower Units 4 and 6 to work on the demolition process at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant on Nov. 9. [YONHAP]
![Officials look for survivors during a rescue operation at the collapsed boiler tower of the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Ulsan on Nov. 7. [NATIONAL FIRE AGENCY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/09/0c07dc59-7b32-4a17-84e7-ee0e4dea321c.jpg)
Officials look for survivors during a rescue operation at the collapsed boiler tower of the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Ulsan on Nov. 7. [NATIONAL FIRE AGENCY]
“Rescue efforts remain our top priority, but we are closely examining both the documents and witness testimonies to assess administrative accountability,” said an Ulsan police official. “We are currently evaluating potential charges such as professional negligence resulting in death or injury and are questioning witnesses and personnel from the companies involved.” Police plan to conduct an on-site inspection once search operations conclude.
A 60-meter (197-foot) tall boiler tower was being dismantled when it suddenly gave way on Thursday during the “structural weakening” process, which takes place prior to a complete demolition. The lower supports were cut, causing the tower to collapse instantly. As of noon on Sunday, two of the nine workers at the site were rescued, while three have been confirmed dead, two are presumed dead and two remain missing.
Following the police, prosecutors are also launching a full-scale investigation. The Ulsan District Prosecutors’ Office formed a dedicated task force on Saturday, staffed by 10 members, including prosecutors and investigators from the Public Safety Crimes Division. Officials said the team was assembled immediately after the accident due to the seriousness of the casualties and includes personnel with expertise in serious industrial accidents. The Ulsan office is a designated center for industrial safety-related prosecutions.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY WE SUNG-WOOK, KIM YOUN-HO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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