Pohang designates bridge collapse site a danger zone, restricts access

The city of Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province has officially designated the Boritdol Bridge collapse site a danger zone and issued an administrative order restricting access to the area.

According to the city on Friday, the order was issued in connection with the collapse of the Boritdol Bridge at Janggil-ri Multiplex Fishing Park on July 28. The city said the measure is intended to prevent secondary accidents and protect the lives and physical safety of residents.

The order formally establishes the accident site and surrounding areas as a legally designated danger zone under applicable statutes, tightening safety management and control at the scene.

Earlier, the city had immediately erected control barriers following the collapse, completely blocking both land and maritime access to the site.

Article 41 of the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety Management authorizes local governments to designate danger zones and prohibit or restrict entry when a disaster has occurred or is likely to occur, and when such measures are necessary to prevent harm to human life or to maintain public order.

Acting on that authority and after consulting with relevant agencies, Pohang has designated a maritime area within a roughly 100-meter radius of the Boritdol Bridge as a danger zone. All personnel and vessels, except those directly involved in response operations, are barred from entering the zone from Thursday until further notice.

The city particularly warned visitors to Janggil-ri Multiplex Fishing Park against unauthorized entry into the danger zone, citing the structural instability of the bridge, the risk of further collapse and the possibility of falling debris. Authorities urged the public to cooperate fully with official controls.

Pohang has posted public notices detailing the boundaries of the danger zone and the specific activities prohibited, and has installed banners and information boards throughout the site to ensure visitors are clearly informed. The access restrictions will remain in effect until the investigation into the cause of the collapse is complete and the safety of the site is fully confirmed.

"The Boritdol Bridge collapse site currently poses multiple hazards, and we are enforcing strict on-site controls with the safety and lives of our citizens as the top priority," a city official said. "We ask the public to refrain from entering the danger zone and to follow Pohang City's guidance until all response and safety measures have been completed."