"Who Receives the Delivery?" vs "Only the Security Guard Should" ? What Do You Think About Security Guards' Miscellaneous Tasks?

Police to Issue Administrative Warnings for Security Business Act Compliance from June
Increased Staff Raises Management Fee Burden... Housing Industry on Alert

A security guard at an apartment is performing security duties through a closed-circuit television (CCTV). Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Who will receive the deliveries right away?", "It seems we also need to assign someone to manage the garbage area..."

The police announced that starting from June, if apartment security guards perform tasks other than security duties, such as receiving deliveries or sorting recyclables, they can be subject to crackdowns for violating the Security Services Act, causing alarm among apartment residents as well as the housing management industry.

While some residents believe that security guards' core duties should be respected even if it causes inconvenience, others are divided, questioning who will handle tasks like garbage sorting immediately. There are also concerns that increasing apartment management staff will inevitably lead to higher maintenance fees.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 9th, the National Police Agency sent official letters to police stations nationwide at the end of last year, instructing them to issue administrative warnings by May 31 this year to apartment and other multi-family housing management companies to comply with the Security Services Act regarding security duties.

The official letter states that apartment management agencies dispatching security guards must meet the requirements under the Security Services Act, such as appointing a security supervisor. Additionally, apartment security guards should not be assigned tasks other than security duties.

Under the Security Services Act, the duties of 'facility security guards' such as apartment security guards involve preventing risks caused by theft, fire, or other disturbances at facilities and locations requiring security.

A security guard at an apartment is receiving a delivery.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The problem lies in the conflicts surrounding this issue. Due to the administrative warnings, various additional tasks that security guards have effectively handled so far?such as managing recycling garbage areas, receiving deliveries, and monitoring illegal parking?can no longer be performed by security guards, creating a gap in handling these tasks.

However, in cases where security guards are directly employed by the apartment residents' representative meetings, the Security Services Act is considered not applicable, as before.

Residents' views on this matter are divided. Mr. A, a man in his 40s, said, "Originally, security guards were supposed to only handle security, but they have been doing too many miscellaneous tasks. During the time spent on those tasks, apartment security inevitably becomes neglected," emphasizing, "Personally, I think this is a good development."

On the other hand, Mr. B, a man in his 30s, said, "We need to find someone to handle delivery management and garbage area organization immediately, but maintenance fees will inevitably rise," adding, "We are considering what realistic alternatives there might be."

The police have also refrained from intervening in security guard duties considering these realities but now feel they have no choice. The court ruling at the end of 2018 has had a significant impact.

In November 2018, the Seoul Central District Court issued a suspended sentence with a fine of 700,000 won to the head of a housing management company that deployed five security guards in an apartment without obtaining a security business license.

As the controversy continues, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is reviewing amendments to the law to more broadly define security guard duties. However, since it is unclear when the law will change, confusion is expected to continue for the time being if crackdowns begin.

An official from an apartment management office said, "We are waiting for government measures regarding the scope of security guards' duties," adding, "So far, there have been no inquiries from residents about who should receive deliveries." He continued, "However, once security guards' duties are defined, apartment residents will likely need to discuss garbage sorting, delivery reception, and parking management."

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