Seoul Jeungneungcheon Viaduct faces safety concerns over broken cables

Allegations of administrative negligence have surfaced regarding the Jeungneungcheon Viaduct on Seoul's Inner Circular Road, which carries over 100,000 vehicles daily. Representative Hwang Hee of the Democratic Party of Korea reported that steel cables, known as tendons, have snapped on three separate occasions: in 2016, 2024, and 2026.

Despite these failures, the Seoul Metropolitan Government issued 'B' grades (indicating good condition) during safety inspections in 2023 and 2025. Critics argue the city used its own 'C3' classification to downplay the severity of corrosion and damage, which national guidelines would categorize as a 'D' grade—a major defect. A recent full inspection identified 25 damaged or corroded tendons that have yet to be replaced.

Seoul officials defended their actions, stating that previous inspections could not detect internal damage within the concrete and that the 'C3' rating refers to a specific corrosion scale rather than a structural safety grade. The city plans to replace 35 tendons by June next year. They also noted that past research suggested traffic does not need to be halted even if up to four tendons fail.