Man swallowed by sinkhole had worked 2 jobs to provide for his family

The 33-year-old motorcyclist who died in a sinkhole formed in eastern Seoul had been a hard-working man who worked multiple jobs, his friends, family and colleagues recalled.

According to local media reports, the victim surnamed Park had been the primary breadwinner for his family consisting of him, his younger sister and their mother. He had provided financially for his family since his father died in 2018 in an accident.

Park was a freelance employee of an advertisement firm, and had a part-time job as a delivery worker after office hours. He had been out making a delivery on Monday when the sinkhole suddenly opened up and swalllowed him at around 6:29 p.m. on Monday.

Park's friend from childhood surnamed Kim told Korean-language daily JoongAng Ilbo that he was famous among their friends for working seven days a week. Kim said he had been a vivacious child, dressing up as popular anime characters for fun and frequently making his friends laugh with his jokes.

"No one could deny that he worked hard in his life. He dedicated himself to the company and worked all the delivery jobs that he could get his hands on at night. He worked so hard to the point that I was getting worried, and I don't know how such a tragedy could occur," he was quoted as saying.

Park's colleague from the advertising firm said he frequently worked as a delivery worker from when he left office at around 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. the next day.

The funeral for the deceased has been set up at a funeral parlor in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

While driving his motorcycle, Park fell into the 20-meter-wide and 18-meter-deep sinkhole that suddenly opened up near an intersection in Gangdong-gu, eastern Seoul on Monday, which also injured the driver of another vehicle that narrowly avoided being swallowed up by the hole. The latter driver, 48, sustained noncritical injuries.

Park's body was found 17 hours later by the authorities 11:22 a.m. the next day, buried in mud some 50 meters away from the center of where the sinkhole had initially formed.

Four schools in the area temporary closed on Tuesday due to safety concerns, and officials cut off the electricity and removed oil from a nearby gas station to prevent potential accidents. Construction to extend Seoul Metro Line No. 9, which was being conducted near the sinkhole spot, has been suspended for the time being.

Authorities are conducting an investigation on the exact cause of the accident. The subway construction is suspected as possibly linked to the formation of the sinkhold. It was found that the accident site underwent a special government inspection in last month, which did not found any irregularities.

But it has also been discovered that two civic complaints were made this month to the Seoul Metropolitan Government about cracks in the ground of the gas station near the sinkhole site.

Source : https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10450376

Comprehension

What was the victim’s surname, and how old was he?
What were Park’s jobs?
Why was Park the primary breadwinner of his family?
What was Park doing at the time of the accident?
How big was the sinkhole that formed in Gangdong-gu?
How long did it take for authorities to find Park’s body?
What immediate safety measures were taken after the sinkhole incident?
What nearby construction project was halted after the accident?
What previous concerns were raised about the area near the sinkhole?
What is currently being investigated regarding the cause of the sinkhole?

Discussion

How can cities prevent sinkhole-related accidents?
Should the government be held responsible for the sinkhole tragedy? Why or why not?
What policies should be in place to ensure construction projects do not pose safety risks?
What challenges do delivery workers face in urban environments?
How can the government provide better support for hardworking individuals like Park?
What role should civic complaints play in preventing infrastructure failures?
How should officials improve their inspection processes after incidents like this?
If you were responsible for handling this crisis, what actions would you take?
How do sinkholes form, and what natural or human-made factors contribute to them?
What are some examples of similar infrastructure failures in other countries, and how were they handled?

Vocabulary

Sinkhole – A hole in the ground caused by the collapse of the surface layer.
Breadwinner – The person who earns money to support a family.
Freelance – Working independently rather than being employed by a single company.
Vivacious – Lively, energetic, and full of enthusiasm.
Tragedy – A very sad or disastrous event.
Irregularities – Problems, mistakes, or violations of rules.
Inspection – A careful examination of something to ensure safety or quality.
Civic complaint – A report made by a citizen about a public concern.
Infrastructure – The physical structures and facilities of a city, such as roads and buildings.
Noncritical injuries – Injuries that are not life-threatening.