Jang Jaeseong, Gwangju City Council Member, "Hyundai Development Company Must Be Expelled as an Example"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jang Jaesung, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party of Korea·Seo-gu 1), stated, “Hyundai Development Company, which pursues only profit and efficiency, must be expelled.”

Councilor Jang made this remark during the 2022 Urban Regeneration Bureau work report held on the 8th.

According to the “Gwangju Hwajeong I-Park Blocks 1 and 2 New Construction Project 4th Quarter 2021 Supervision Report” submitted by Seo-gu to Councilor Jang, there were cases where the concrete curing period (at least 10 days) was not properly observed during the winter season in buildings 101~104 and 201·3.

Councilor Jang pointed out, “It is wrong that the supervision report inspection results all marked ‘appropriate’ despite not properly adhering to the concrete curing period during the winter season,” adding, “Although it is a flat slab structure, the shoring (supports) on the upper floor slabs of the apartment were removed too quickly, and construction was forced to proceed before the concrete had fully hardened, which caused the exterior wall collapse,” citing this as the cause of the accident.

He continued, “After meeting with construction workers, I found that foreign workers are deployed in formwork work at most construction sites besides Hwajeong I-Park,” and argued, “Due to the harsh and dangerous working environment, there is little influx of young domestic workers, so migrant workers fill those positions.”

Furthermore, he stated, “Since foreigners are involved in the construction, communication difficulties and unskilled labor are presumed to be the second cause of the Hwajeong-dong I-Park exterior wall collapse accident,” emphasizing, “Hyundai Development Company has caused major accidents repeatedly, not just once, and after accidents, they keep shifting responsibility and authority to others. The apology remarks by Chairman Chung Mong-gyu to deflect blame are utterly disgraceful and infuriating as a citizen of Gwangju.”

He added, “I hope special attention will be paid to prevent such incidents from recurring and efforts will be made to make Gwangju a safe city,” and “We must urge the government more strongly than just a one-year business suspension to expel them and set an example.”

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