Lee Cheol, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member, Criticizes "Sofa Block Construction Ignoring Principles"

Lee Cheol, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Lee Cheol, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea·Wando 1), strongly raised suspicions that Jeonnam Province is conducting administration that ignores principles regarding sopa blocks.

According to the data submitted by Assemblyman Lee Cheol on the 10th, the sopa blocks for port construction works are required to be purchased by the ordering agency from materials registered with the Public Procurement Service. However, there are no products registered under the detailed item of sopa function blocks, while detailed items for concrete revetments and retaining wall blocks are registered.

Assemblyman Lee Cheol criticized that the registration of detailed items for concrete revetments and retaining wall blocks causes misunderstandings about the sopa function.

Assemblyman Lee said, “I have raised several issues through administrative audits and standing committee activities,” and added, “However, the Jeonnam Province Maritime and Port Department has not made any improvements regarding some port construction materials called ‘sopa blocks,’ which have frequently appeared in media reports, and continues to rely on expedients.”

He continued, “An audit by Jeonnam Province is underway regarding the change of materials for the Nokdong New Port construction from sopa blocks to concrete revetments and retaining wall blocks,” and questioned, “However, even before the audit results are out, the ‘sopa blocks’ applied in the design of the Wando Port ferry wharf have been disguised as ‘concrete revetments and retaining wall blocks’ and received construction technology review from Jeonnam Province on the 3rd, repeating the same mistake.”

Furthermore, he criticized, “Even though the Maritime and Port Department officials know that sopa blocks are not registered with the Public Procurement Service and therefore cannot be used as materials, they repeatedly engage in such acts, which is absolutely unacceptable.”

He added, “Sopa blocks can be purchased through the Market Support Act and the Procurement Business Act after being registered as procurement items, but disguising concrete revetments and retaining wall blocks as sopa blocks to make procurement purchases is an unacceptable act,” and stated, “Based on the results of the Jeonnam Province audit, I will raise this issue in the provincial government questions next month, and we may also consider a public audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection at the assembly level.”

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