LH launches anti-cartel headquarter to prevent corruption

Land and Housing Corporation pledged to root out so-called construction industry “cartels” amid rising public jitters on shoddy construction. It launched an anti-cartel headquarter aimed at preventing corruption in the construction process.

A basement parking lot of an apartment complex commissioned by Land and Housing Corporation in Paju, Gyeonggi, is under reinforcement work on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The state-run Land and Housing Corporation (LH) pledged to root out so-called construction industry “cartels” amid rising public jitters on shoddy construction.

LH launched an anti-cartel headquarter aimed at preventing corruption in the construction process on Wednesday. The land developer added that on Friday it will request a police investigation of parties involved in the design, construction and site supervision of 15 LH apartment complexes lacking adequate steel reinforcements.

GS Engineering and Construction is one of the entities that took part in the construction.

“LH will implement strong corrective measures for shoddy construction, working with the mindset that there is no future for LH if we fail to dispel recent suspicions,” LH CEO Lee Han-jun said at LH Seoul branch in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

The move comes amid rising concerns about poorly-built apartment buildings built without sufficient reinforcing bars.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Tuesday, there were 293 flat-plated apartment complexes built after 2017. One hundred and five complexes are currently under construction, while 188 complexes have residents living in the buildings.

Some of these complexes reportedly implemented flat slab structures in both the residence buildings and parking lots.

The Land Ministry said on Monday that 15 of the 91 apartment complexes commissioned by LH lacked the adequate steel reinforcements required in construction guidelines.

An apartment complex in Geomdan-dong, Incheon, that collapsed midway through construction in April had the same safety issue.

Land Minister Won Hee-ryong, left, speaks during a press conference held at the government complex in central Seoul on Monday. [NEWS1]

“The LH apartments that came to attention recently applied flat slabs around the pillars of a basement parking lot,” Land Minister Won Hee-ryong said during Monday’s press briefing. “Residential safety is not a concern [for these apartments] as no buildings stand above the parking lot.”

Despite the Land Minster's assertion, concern about shoddy construction is spreading to apartments built and developed by private entities. The Land Ministry will investigate the 293 flat-plated apartment complexes within this month.

Experts say the flat slab construction itself is not problematic. Many apartment parking lots have been built this way since 2017 because the beamless structure allows tall vehicles to access the parking space.

But when build poorly, buildings can risk demolition, and it is crucial for builders to thoroughly inspect shear strengthening bars.

“Sound understanding of the flat slab structure is necessary at construction sites,” according to Ahn Hyung-jun, an architecture professor at Konkuk University.

“Recent collapses due to the lack of reinforcing structures may have been a result of an inadequate training of site workers by construction companies,” Ahn added.

The government’s probe is sounding alarm bells for construction companies.

“We are conducting site inspections on buildings completed with flat slabs as well as the other ones,” an executive of a construction company said.

The construction industry is keeping close tabs on the government’s plan of action, the official added.

BY KIM WON, SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]