Seoul City to Rectify Illegal Practices at Construction Sites Including Coercive Hiring

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is taking active measures to eradicate illegal activities rampant at construction sites, such as coercive hiring demands and solicitation of money.

According to the results of an urgent survey on illegal activities at construction sites, the city announced on the 13th that out of a total of 161 construction sites commissioned by Seoul, 28 cases of illegal activities were identified at 8 sites, with damages estimated at approximately 500 million KRW.

The city has instructed contractors at public construction sites commissioned by Seoul and SH Corporation to report immediately to the city if illegal activities occur at construction sites. For such illegal activities, the city plans to take civil and criminal actions in cooperation with contractors and commissioning authorities, and will request police investigations for offenses such as obstruction of business and forced use of construction equipment.

SH Corporation has recognized illegal and unfair practices at construction sites as a crisis for the entire construction industry and has urgently established a dedicated task force (TF) within the company.

Additionally, for private construction projects, the city plans to operate a reporting support center to provide detailed guidance on reporting procedures and preparation of evidence, anticipating difficulties in these areas. If necessary, legal consultations will also be supported.

The city will strengthen cooperation with related organizations to eradicate illegal activities at construction sites and actively promote publicity to prevent such activities from taking root.

Yoo Chang-soo, Deputy Mayor for Administration of Seoul, stated, “We will respond strictly and decisively to illegal activities at construction sites,” and added, “We will establish a fair and safe construction culture at sites in Seoul.”

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