Won Hee-ryong "Even Picky Tenants Must Be Satisfied... Improving Defect Aftercare System"

The government has instructed construction companies to respond thoroughly to apartment defects to satisfy even the most demanding residents and has promised to improve related systems. They plan to revise the post-management system following defect reception and assessment.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong (right) visited a newly built apartment complex in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 30th to inspect the repair and maintenance situation. / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

On the afternoon of the 30th, Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, visited a newly built apartment in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, stating, "Last month, we announced the number of defect reports and acknowledgments by construction companies, which drew significant public interest."

He continued, "Construction companies have argued that major defects and minor defects should be distinguished, and there is merit to that argument," adding, "It is not desirable to treat all defects as a collective punishment." He believes that treating defects differently based on their severity and the efforts made to address them can lead to better resolutions.

The complex visited by Minister Won had previously experienced elevator stoppages and air conditioner leaks, which the construction company is currently repairing. A company representative explained, "The elevator stoppage was caused by foreign substances, and the issue was resolved within 30 minutes. The air conditioner leak was also fixed within two days," adding, "Remaining defects will be repaired by the end of November."

Regarding this, Minister Won said, "I realized that how we manage defect reception, evaluation, and corrective actions is a very important task in stabilizing housing quality," emphasizing, "It is necessary to shorten the defect review processing period to promptly alleviate public inconvenience."

This discussion took place during a meeting with members of the Defect Review Dispute Mediation Committee (hereafter referred to as the Defect Committee) after inspecting the defect repair status. The Defect Committee is an organization established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to resolve disputes related to defects in multi-family housing as an alternative to the courts.

On the 30th, at a newly built apartment in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is giving an opening remark at the Defect Review Dispute Mediation Committee meeting. / Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Minister Won stated, "When applying for defect review dispute mediation, there is a concern about how long it will take to receive the review results," adding, "There are significant issues with manpower and systems. Prompt correction is necessary."

To address this, the Ministry plans to update the defect review manual and provide staff training in the short term to strengthen the committee’s capabilities independently, while simultaneously expanding the Defect Committee’s personnel and organization at the ministry level.

Members of the Defect Committee also offered various opinions. Lim In-ok, head of Darin Architectural Office, said, "Condensation can be prevented only if seams are perfectly wrapped with aluminum tape, but there is no such detailed manual," adding, "Countries like Germany and Japan have detailed regulations down to the finer points."

There was also a suggestion that the quality inspection teams specified by the Housing Act at the local government level should operate over a period rather than just for 3 to 4 hours on specific days. Additionally, proposals were made to systematize defects into grades A to C to resolve issues more effectively.

Minister Won pledged to improve the system so that defect review judgments lead to practical follow-up actions. The system will be enhanced to share defect assessment results and repair progress with local governments, enabling them to thoroughly manage and supervise the respective multi-family housing complexes.

Minister Won stated, "When the project entity completes defect repairs, they must register this in the system. We will set a registration deadline, which is currently not stipulated by law, and establish penalties such as fines for non-compliance to increase registration rates and thoroughly manage defect repair outcomes."

He added, "Furthermore, the role of local government quality inspection teams will be expanded not only after completion but also during the construction process. The defect status by construction company, first disclosed last month, will be published semiannually, encouraging construction companies to voluntarily improve quality."

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