[New Mokdong, When?]③ Apartment with Exterior Wall Damaged by Heavy Rain "Reconstruction Must Be Hastened"

Mokdong New Town Complex Completed Before 1st Generation New Towns
Issues with Exterior Wall Cracks, Leaks, and Asbestos... Safety Measures Needed

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Kyung-jo] "We use rust water filters for each tap. They are replaced every three months." (Resident A of Mokdong New Town 8 Complex, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul)

The corridor-style layout with a straight line and wooden window frames remaining in some houses. These are hard to find in recent private apartments, but they are the features of Mokdong New Town complexes, which were completed earlier than the first-generation new towns such as Ilsan and Bundang.

A broken exterior wall fell in the Mokdong New Town complex in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, damaging vehicles / Photo by Yangcheon-gu

Last year, when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans to establish a master plan for the redevelopment of first-generation new towns by 2024, criticism arose in many old areas of Seoul claiming it was unfair, with Mokdong at the center. The first-generation new towns were completed between 1991 and 1994. However, the move-in period for the 14 apartment complexes in Mokdong was up to about 10 years earlier, between 1985 and 1988.

According to Statistics Korea, Yangcheon-gu, where Mokdong is located, had an old housing rate of 31.9% as of 2021, the second highest among Seoul’s 25 districts after Nowon-gu (38.4%). The average for all of Seoul is 21.2%.

Like other old apartments, the Mokdong New Town complexes face issues such as leaks caused by cracks in exterior walls and pipes, and insulation problems. In August last year, part of the upper exterior wall of Mokdong New Town 14 Complex collapsed under heavy rain, falling from a height of 30 meters and damaging a passenger car parked on the ground. This incident sparked public opinion among residents that reconstruction should be expedited for safety reasons, and Yangcheon District Office requested a full inspection of the exterior walls of Mokdong apartment complexes and asked the government to relax safety inspection standards.

A representative of the Mokdong Reconstruction Union explained, "Exterior wall crack repairs have been done together with painting work, but there are limits," adding, "Inside the house, replacing window sashes or wallpapering can allow comfortable living, but damage caused by the aging of the building itself requires fundamental solutions."

Non-application of seismic design and asbestos are also risk factors. Although the frequency of earthquakes is gradually increasing, Korea established related standards in 1988, so they were not applied to the Mokdong New Town complexes. Also, underground spaces where asbestos is mainly found are frequently accessed by security staff, making improvements urgent.

Resident B of Mokdong said, "I understand that various maintenance projects such as remodeling and street housing, as well as reconstruction, are underway in Mokdong," adding, "Reconstruction should proceed as soon as possible for safety reasons."

Mokdong Apartment Complex View / Photo by Noh Kyungjo