Fears rise over collapse risks

[Anchor]

Residents near the collapse site are expressing anxiety and concern about the possibility of further collapses.

A crack was discovered in the playground of a nearby elementary school, leading to a temporary school closure, and merchants are struggling to stay in business due to a drop in customer traffic.

Reporter Choi Min-young has the story.

[Report]

The entrance to the elementary school playground is visible beyond the firmly closed school gate.

It should be a place for children to play, but it is tightly sealed with a no-entry tape.

[School Security Officer/Voice Altered: "We are conducting a safety inspection. Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are here, and the education office is also here..."]

This elementary school, located about 50 meters from the accident site, has also shown signs of cracking in the playground.

As a result, it has been decided to temporarily close the school until tomorrow (Apr. 15).

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, which are conducting on-site inspections, are also considering extending the school closure until safety is ensured.

Nearby academies have canceled in-person classes due to safety concerns.

[Academy Official/Voice Altered: "(Last week) we immediately canceled classes on Friday. On Saturday, we held classes via 'Zoom'..."]

Merchants are facing a double whammy of anxiety and difficulty in business.

Since the accident, customer traffic has completely stopped.

[Nearby Merchant/Voice Altered: "Because of this (collapse accident), people from this area are not crossing over. They are scared."]

Residents are also feeling a significant level of anxiety.

[Nearby Resident/Voice Altered: "We are in a unit that has a direct view of the accident site, so we have closed the curtains, and I find this mentally very difficult..."]

Real estate inquiries for temporary housing or office spaces are coming in one after another.

[Real Estate Agent/Voice Altered: "People have urgently come to my office asking me to find them a new office..."]

Additionally, due to emergency evacuation orders from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Gwangmyeong City, about 40 residents near the accident site are experiencing inconvenience as they have had to leave their homes and stay in lodging facilities or with relatives.

This is KBS News, Choi Min-young.