Inquiry: excessive weakening caused Ulsan collapse
A South Korean inquiry commission also points to errors in construction data and inadequate oversight.
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The collapse of a boiler building at a former coal-fired power station in Ulsan was directly caused by excessively extensive weakening work, according to a South Korean inquiry commission. Seven people were killed in the accident in November 2025.
The commission presented its initial findings to South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Friday. According to the investigators, too many sections of load-bearing columns were removed before the planned demolition. As a result, the columns could no longer support the weight of the building, causing local buckling before the structure collapsed.
The weakening work was intended to make the tower fall in a controlled manner. The commission says the structural calculations did not match the actual situation. For example, the same plate thickness was used for several columns, even though the thickness varied throughout the building. This led to the load-bearing capacity being overestimated.
The weight of the tower was also underestimated, according to the investigators. The commission calculated an actual weight of approximately 3,525.8 tonnes, while approximately 3,005.8 tonnes had been used in the structural calculations. According to the investigators, the load on the columns was therefore higher than calculated, while sections of those columns had also been removed.
The inquiry commission also cites shortcomings in technical checks and project management. The main contractor is said to have relied on the assessment of a specialised subcontractor for important components. According to the commission, the owner supervised the project directly but did not engage a separate party to coordinate the demolition project as a whole.
The findings are not a court ruling on individual liability. The commission does state that errors in the data, technical shortcomings and insufficient oversight together eroded the safety margins. For future demolition projects, it recommends, among other things, better on-site inspections, clear technical standards and stricter oversight of high-risk work.
The commission is still working on a final report, which is expected to be submitted to the ministry in November, according to reports. The ministry must then decide which recommendations will be converted into rules or oversight measures. The case is also relevant beyond South Korea: in complex demolition projects, design data, responsibilities and checks may be divided among several companies.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- An inquiry commission of the South Korean ministry identifies excessively extensive weakening of load-bearing columns as the direct cause of the collapse.
- The commission also reports errors in construction data, technical shortcomings and insufficient oversight.
- Seven people were killed in the collapse in November 2025.
- The final report and any legal liability had not yet been established.
Left
Arguments The emphasis is on strong public safety standards, independent oversight and clear responsibility for clients and main contractors. In high-risk demolition, cost or time pressures should never outweigh the safety of workers.
Values Occupational safety, worker protection and public enforcement.
Consequences Stricter rules and additional inspections may make projects more expensive and slower, but according to this approach they reduce the risk of mistakes being passed between companies.
Centre
Arguments The institutional solution lies in better technical standards, verifiable responsibilities and proportionate oversight for high-risk projects. Not every demolition project needs the same bureaucratic requirements, but complex structures clearly require more scrutiny.
Values Expertise, feasibility and reliable public institutions.
Consequences A combination of strengthened standards and targeted inspections can improve safety without imposing the same burdens on all construction and demolition projects.
Right
Arguments The emphasis is on individual responsibility, professional competence and preventing rules that mainly create additional paperwork. Companies that fail to check structural data or ignore safety margins should be held accountable.
Values Responsibility, legal certainty and efficient regulation.
Consequences Targeted liability and transparent standards can, according to this approach, act as a stronger deterrent than broad new rules, while leaving companies room to choose safe working methods themselves.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is based directly on the South Korean inquiry findings and an independent news source. The text clearly distinguishes between technical conclusions and legal liability that has not yet been established.
- confirmed The inquiry commission presented findings on 30 October 2026 concerning the collapse of the boiler tower in Ulsan. — Mentioned in the official Korean government report. source
- confirmed Excessive weakening of columns caused local buckling and was the direct cause. — Conclusion of the ministry and the inquiry commission. source
- confirmed Seven people were killed in the accident. — Mentioned in current reporting on the inquiry’s outcome. source
- confirmed The calculated weight was approximately 3,005.8 tonnes, compared with an actual weight of approximately 3,525.8 tonnes. — Figures from reporting on the inquiry report. source
- confirmed The final report is expected in November. — Mentioned by the chair of the inquiry commission in current reporting. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the South Korean ministry and the inquiry commission identify excessively extensive weakening as the direct cause, and also report errors in data and oversight. The final report and any legal liability had not yet been established at the time of writing.Sources
- Resultaten onderzoek instorting keteltoren Ulsan — Korea.kr / Zuid-Koreaans ministerie van Land, Infrastructuur en Transport
- Excessive cutting, flawed structural review blamed for Ulsan power plant collapse — The Herald Business
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