Building Safety Inspections to Be Strengthened... Mandatory Inspections Every 3 Years for Buildings Over 3,000㎡ Total Floor Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] From now on, collective buildings with a total floor area of 3,000㎡ or more must undergo a comprehensive safety inspection every three years.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 4th that, according to the 'Building Management Act' and subordinate laws enacted last April and scheduled to be enforced from this May, it has notified local governments of the list of approximately 12,000 buildings required to undergo regular inspections between May and July, urging smooth inspections. In addition, since a fine of up to 10 million KRW will be imposed if the regular inspection is not conducted, the ministry encouraged prompt inspections.

Going forward, heads of metropolitan local governments must prepare and announce a list of building management inspection agencies that meet the requirements for appropriate technical personnel and equipment, and notify building managers of the inspection implementation status and procedures at least three months before the inspection. Along with this, structures such as spires and retaining walls, which have been maintained independently despite being vulnerable to disasters like typhoons, will also be included in the inspection targets and inspected by certified inspection agencies.

According to the enforcement of the revised law, buildings with three or more floors housing facilities for vulnerable evacuees and multi-use establishments must reinforce fire safety performance by 2022 if they have combustible exterior materials or lack sprinkler systems, which are considered fire vulnerability factors. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been supporting performance reinforcement costs of about 26 million KRW since last year. This year, support will be provided for approximately 400 buildings. Additionally, a low-interest loan program at 1.2% annually (up to 40 million KRW per household) will continue for construction work aimed at improving fire safety performance in residential buildings.

A permit and supervision system for demolition work will also be introduced. Buildings exceeding five floors or 1,000㎡, including above and below ground, must obtain a permit for demolition, and the permit authority will designate a supervisor to oversee the demolition process.

A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official stated, "To ensure the smooth implementation of the Building Management Act, we plan to actively promote the training of related experts such as building management inspectors, designate building management support centers, conduct public awareness campaigns on building management inspections and fire safety performance reinforcement projects, and provide education for local government officials."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.