Park Kwang-on "Poorly Constructed Apartments Are Not a Problem to Blame on the Ruling Party... Swift Passage of Stricter Punishment Laws Needed"

"National Safety Issues Know No Party Lines"
"Comprehensive Reform of LH Is Necessary"

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed on the 3rd to swiftly enact related laws, including strengthening punishments, regarding the issue of missing rebar in apartments. Regarding the ruling party's internal movement to blame the Moon Jae-in administration for the controversy over the Mu-ryang-pan construction method, which has been criticized for poor construction, he said, "This is not a matter of blaming others."

At the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Floor Leader Park said, "The issue of LH removing rebar from apartments is a serious matter that threatens public safety," and added, "The facts must be thoroughly investigated and strict accountability must be enforced." In this regard, he said, "The government must take full responsibility to alleviate the residents' anxiety," and "The Democratic Party will actively respond to all issues related to public safety, especially the missing rebar apartment issue."

Regarding this, Floor Leader Park urged the completion of a full investigation of private apartments as soon as possible. He requested, "The government should mobilize all administrative power to conduct a full investigation of private apartments as quickly as possible and carry out safety inspections promptly to reassure residents." He continued, "I hope the People Power Party will also respond responsibly," and said, "This issue is a serious matter directly related to public safety, so there can be no distinction between ruling and opposition parties. It is even less a matter of blaming others."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the response to this issue, Floor Leader Park suggested an investigation and audit by the government rather than a parliamentary inquiry. He said, "It is essential that audits and investigations be conducted to determine whether there were any illegal or fraudulent acts during this process," and added, "The Democratic Party promises once again to thoroughly address this issue together with the public to eradicate it."

He also emphasized the legislative responsibility of the National Assembly. Floor Leader Park said, "An important point is that the National Assembly has also failed to fulfill its responsibilities," and added, "Even after the collapse accidents in Gwangju and Incheon, fundamental measures have not been established. Bills to strengthen punishments for poor construction and to enhance the safety responsibilities of construction supervision companies are dormant in the National Assembly. I propose the ruling party to process them swiftly." He continued, "A comprehensive reform of LH is necessary," and emphasized, "LH has not changed even after the 2021 real estate speculation scandal. This time, the National Assembly must take responsibility and conclude a high-intensity reform."

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