Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Imposes 10-Month Business Suspension on GS Construction - Response to the Gyeongdan Apartment Collapse Incident

The situation surrounding the Gyeongdan Apartment collapse incident, which has sent shockwaves through the South Korean construction industry, is becoming increasingly grave. Government actions in response to the Gyeongdan Apartment collapse incident in Incheon have been announced. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has imposed a maximum 10-month business suspension on GS Construction, the primary entity responsible for the incident. Furthermore, the designer of the apartment complex will face either license revocation or a 2-year business suspension. These measures are in line with the government's principle of non-tolerance and demonstrate a strong determination to rigorously trace and penalize responsibility for the accident.

 

Minister Won Hee-ryong of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport emphasized that the incident has amplified public concerns about residential safety.

 

Following the incident, GS Construction conducted a self-inspection of 83 of its construction sites. While the majority of these sites were confirmed to be safely constructed, a total of 251 issues were identified. Particularly, the investigation revealed a lack of concrete strength in the residential section of the apartment complex where the collapse occurred.

 

The background of this incident dates back to a collapse incident in April. This incident took place at the construction site of Block AA-13-2 in the Gyeongdan District of Incheon, involving the collapse of the roof level of a parking garage. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but it exposed deficiencies in the construction process.

 

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced that the analysis of the incident's cause indicated a comprehensive failure in design, construction, and supervision. In response, GS Construction has made the decision to entirely reconstruct the affected apartment complex, and the results of safety inspections across construction sites nationwide have also been disclosed.

 

Not only GS Construction but various other stakeholders will also face penalties. Constructors and collaborating companies will receive an 8-month business suspension in accordance with the Basic Construction Industry Act, while construction project managers will be requested to undergo a 6-month business suspension. Additionally, designers and related specialists are also expected to face work suspension.

 

Furthermore, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport will conduct police investigations into violations of laws such as the Construction Technology Promotion Act, Building Act, and Housing Act. Through this, there is a plan to thoroughly trace and penalize illegal activities and deficient processes within the construction industry.

 

On another note, precise safety diagnosis results from the Korean Institute of Architects have revealed issues with concrete strength, identified as one of the causes of the Gyeongdan Apartment collapse incident. According to these results, insufficient concrete strength was confirmed in interior walls of the residential section. GS Construction is planning a complete reconstruction of this section.

 

Minister Won Hee-ryong of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport emphasized that the incident has amplified public concerns about residential safety. He pledged to alleviate deficient practices within the construction industry and establish a safe environment through strict penalties. These measures are anticipated to provide a significant foundation for improvement within the construction industry and ensuring public safety.