As search for victims of Ulsan collapse ends, probe for deadly accident's culprits accelerates
Published: 16 Nov. 2025, 18:35
Updated: 16 Nov. 2025, 18:36
-
- YOON SO-YEON
- [email protected]
![Officials stand in line as the body of the last worker, who was trapped in the collapsed boiler tower of the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, is recovered on Nov. 14. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/16/adeb57d8-459e-4354-9800-30911de8129e.jpg)
Officials stand in line as the body of the last worker, who was trapped in the collapsed boiler tower of the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, is recovered on Nov. 14. [NEWS1]
The body of 62-year-old Kim, the last of the workers trapped under the collapsed boiler tower at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, was found on Friday at 9:57 p.m., eight days after the structure collapsed on Nov. 6. That brought the final count to two recovered workers and seven dead.
Following the news, President Lee Jae Myung ordered a prompt and disciplined investigation into those responsible for the fatal accident. A joint task force will be formed with officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the National Forensic Service, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency and the police.
The investigation will center on how the weakening process of the boiler tower Unit 5 was carried out, including the sequential order in which structures were weakened. The Korea East-West Power, contractor HJ Shipbuilding & Construction and subcontractor Korea Kacoh will be investigated. The demolition was initially planned for completion by June 2026.
![Officials search for the last body trapped under the collapsed tower at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Ulsan on Nov. 14. [ULSAN FIRE HEADQUARTERS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/16/cce24f25-81b7-44ee-a793-84622de0cfe6.jpg)
Officials search for the last body trapped under the collapsed tower at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant in Ulsan on Nov. 14. [ULSAN FIRE HEADQUARTERS]
![Managers from Korea East-West Power bow in apology at the rear gate of the Ulsan thermal power plant where a boiler tower collapsed, on the morning of Nov. 13, a week after the accident. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/16/a8591f44-3498-431b-be4d-02790c9e9c0a.jpg)
Managers from Korea East-West Power bow in apology at the rear gate of the Ulsan thermal power plant where a boiler tower collapsed, on the morning of Nov. 13, a week after the accident. [NEWS1]
Lee called the accident one that "should not have happened" and vowed to prevent similar accidents.
"I will make sure that a tragedy like this is not repeated. We need to put an end to such tragedies, where workplaces become a site of death."
BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)