'Gwangju Collapse Accident' Victimized Merchants: "Obstruction of Business Lawsuit is Secondary Harm"

They Said They Would Withdraw the Complaint If the 'Car Protest' Stops

The Hwajeong I-Park Damage Countermeasure Committee is issuing a statement on the morning of the 8th at the accident site regarding the 'position on the accusation of obstruction of business.'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Merchants affected by the Gwangju collapse accident have retaliated against HDC Hyundai Development Company, which they sued for obstruction of business, calling it a 'secondary harm.'

The Hwajeong I-Park Damage Countermeasure Committee stated at the accident site on the morning of the 8th, "We will no longer tolerate protection of Hyundai Development," and claimed, "The referral to the prosecution can only be regarded as secondary harm to the victims."

Earlier, starting from April 25, some of the affected merchants held a 'vehicle protest' at the construction site entrance, demanding strengthened safety measures.

Hyundai Development filed complaints with investigative agencies against seven people, alleging they blocked passage and obstructed debris dismantling work; six of them were referred to the prosecution, while one was not prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

At that time, the merchants explained that the reason they showed such extreme behavior was because they suffered continuous damage from scattered dust and building cracks since the start of construction, and they were unable to conduct business properly during the demolition process, resulting in severe losses.

The countermeasure committee questioned, "Is Hyundai Development keeping its promise to withdraw the complaint if the vehicle protest stops?" and expressed suspicion that "they might be using this as a negotiation card," showing a strong standoff.

They responded, "We will strongly respond to the referral to the prosecution, and if there is no official apology visit from Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, we will refuse any further discussions or negotiations."

They continued, "Ignoring the merchants demanding safety measures, Hyundai Development has neither compensated nor apologized for any damages caused by the construction over the past five years," and emphasized, "We express anger that only demolition preparation work is being prioritized."

They also added, "Although safety measures have been requested dozens of times, seeing Hyundai Development remain unchanged enrages the affected merchants; Hyundai Development must awaken as soon as possible," and "Future negotiations will be discussed after Chairman Chung’s apology visit."

The countermeasure committee plans to continue protest demonstrations at Hyundai Development’s headquarters if there is no official stance from the company.

Meanwhile, on January 11 at around 3:46 p.m., during the concrete pouring work on the 39th floor of apartment building 201, floors 23 to 38 collapsed, killing six onsite workers.

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