By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

The Seoul Gyeonggi North Construction Branch of the Korea Construction Workers' Union (KCWU) held a press conference on Jan. 23 in front of the GS headquarters in Jongno, Seoul to condemn GS E&C (Engineering & Construction)'s shoddy and poor construction.

At the same time, at the Dignity Xi apartment site in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, they condemned GS E&C for conducting concrete pouring work in the middle of a snowstorm, saying that it was doing so to save costs, even though there was a risk that it would lead to poor construction.

According to them, on January 17, at the Dignity Xi site in Yangpyeong-dong, GS E&C carried out concrete pouring work while it was snowing. Construction workers at the site protested, but the company continued the work because there were no regulations against it. However, the Standard Specifications for General Concrete were revised on November 30 last year, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) also prohibits pouring concrete in the rain in principle.

"GS E&C is still claiming that there is no danger in pouring concrete in the rain despite the revision of the specification, and is only repeating the ridiculous statement that it will increase the proportion of concrete when pouring in the rain," they said. "GS E&C's goal is only to increase profits by reducing costs by completing the pour on the scheduled day, and it is not interested in the safety of residents and citizens," they pointed out.

"Rebar plays a role as the skeleton and concrete as the muscle. Concrete becomes stronger and harder when water and cement artificial stone are mixed in the right proportion. In rainy or snowy construction, the strength of the concrete is not constant because it is mixed with rain, and the proportion of water increases, which weakens the strength of the concrete, so there is a great risk of collapse," they said.

Referring to the GS E&C’s Andante Xi site in Geomdan-dong, Incheon, where a parking lot collapsed during construction in April last year, they said, "At the Andante Xi site in Geomdan New City, the MOLIT announced that not only the parking lot collapsed, but the entire site was missing rebar and the concrete strength was below the design standard strength. 

"Just as a person cannot be supported without bones and muscles, a building cannot exist with missing rebars and water concrete," they said. “However, GS E&C still does not care about the strength of the concrete."

They concluded, "GS E&C should set the safety of residents and citizens as the first goal, not the company's profit. GS E&C should immediately stop pouring concrete in the rain and snow to build safer apartments. We condemn GS E&C for shoddy and poor construction.