(LEAD) Eight workers injured in collapse of concert structure

Eight workers were injured Wednesday when a 40-meter structure for a concert stage collapsed during construction in high winds in the city of Hanam, just east of Seoul.

The incident occurred at a public park at 4:26 p.m., when 13 workers were working to construct a stage for an upcoming K-pop concert scheduled for the weekend, according to police and rescue personnel.

The structure, made up of steel pipes and scaffolding, suddenly collapsed for unknown reasons and some workers were briefly trapped under the debris.

Two workers sustained serious injuries, while six others suffered minor injuries, police said.

Among them, a foreign national in his 30s was found unconscious with multiple fractures. All the others are Koreans.

At the time of the accident, Hanam had experienced a rainstorm, accompanied by wind gusts reaching 7.8 meters per second at 3:30 p.m.

The police and fire authorities said they will investigate the cause of the accident and whether workers abided by safety rules.

The concert, titled SUPERPOP, is sponsored by Coca-Cola and planned to feature renowned artists, such as NewJeans, Jay Park, Beenzino and CL. It was expected to draw about 10,000 attendees.

Source: Yonhap News Agency