"Can't Live Like This"... I-Park Facing Move-In Undergoes Consecutive Safety Inspections

Hyundai Development Company, Temporary Suspension of Construction Site Work
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] As concerns about the safety of apartments constructed by HDC Hyundai Development Company grow, some complexes are planning to conduct safety inspections before move-in.

According to the maintenance industry on the 4th, Yeoksam Central I-Park in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, which is scheduled for move-in this April, will conduct a detailed safety inspection before residents move in. The association announced a bidding notice the day before. Yeoksam Central I-Park is a complex rebuilt from Gaenari 4th Apartment located at 712-3 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu. It consists of a total of 499 households, with move-in originally scheduled in two months.

However, influenced by last month's collapse accident at the Gwangju I-Park new construction site, it was urgently decided to undergo a detailed safety diagnosis before move-in. Conducting a detailed safety inspection, which diagnoses the structural and performance safety status of facilities, before move-in is rare. Detailed safety inspections are usually conducted only when defects are found during regular safety inspections. A representative of the association said, "After the accident, we received numerous calls from association members saying they could not move in as is," adding, "We decided to proceed with the detailed safety inspection in response to the demands of prospective residents."

Since the Gwangju collapse accident, anxiety among prospective residents has also increased. According to the real estate big data company ‘Apartment Real Transaction Price,’ the number of listings, which was around 15 on the 11th of last month, has jumped to 42 as of the 4th. Most of these, 39 listings, are for rent or lease. This indicates a growing trend of turning to rental rather than living in the units themselves.

Some local governments are also conducting safety inspections. ‘Cheongju Gagyeong I-Park 4th Complex’ in Cheongju, Chungbuk, which is scheduled for move-in next month, formed a joint inspection team with Chungbuk Province, Cheongju City, and private experts in architecture and structure to conduct safety inspections after the accident. Similarly, ‘Banjeong I-Park Castle’ in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, scheduled for move-in at the end of this year, will undergo a special safety inspection by Gyeonggi Province and Hwaseong City at the request of prospective residents.

Along with these complexes, ‘Dangjin I-Park’ in Dangjin, Chungnam, ‘Sokcho I-Park 2nd Complex’ in Sokcho, Gangwon-do, and ‘Jeonju Taepyeong I-Park’ in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, are also scheduled for move-in in the first half of the year. An industry insider said, "Compared to complexes that have only signed construction contracts before groundbreaking, complexes that have mostly completed construction and are about to move in are likely to have greater anxiety," adding, "It is highly likely that conducting an additional safety inspection before move-in will become a customary practice."

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