Two Years Since Strengthening Reconstruction Safety Inspection Standards, Resubmissions Continue

Archive photo / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] Complexes that postponed their reconstruction projects due to stricter safety inspection regulations two years ago are recently resubmitting applications for safety inspections one after another. As the Mokdong New Town complexes in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, have consecutively passed the detailed safety inspections, there is a growing sense of expectation for project promotion in other complexes as well. However, experts caution against premature optimism, as complexes receiving a conditional reconstruction judgment (Grade D) in the detailed safety inspection must undergo an additional appropriateness evaluation by public institutions.

According to the maintenance industry on the 7th, Nowon-gu, Seoul, recently commissioned a detailed safety inspection service for the Taereung Woosung Apartment complex in the 254 area of Gongneung 2-dong. The residents of the complex have already deposited about 155 million KRW for the service fee. Built in 1985, this complex consists of seven 9-story buildings with 432 households. Taereung Woosung had announced a bid for a detailed safety inspection after Nowon-gu decided to conduct a safety inspection in January 2018, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport strengthened the safety inspection standards in March of the same year, leading to the cancellation of the bid. At that time, many complexes were indefinitely postponing detailed safety inspections due to the government's stricter standards. A Nowon-gu official explained, "The residents recently gathered opinions again and decided to proceed."

The resumption of safety inspections for reconstruction-pursuing complexes is said to have been influenced by the consecutive passes of detailed safety inspections in the Mokdong complexes, according to industry sources. After Mokdong Complex 6 and then Complex 9 conditionally passed the detailed safety inspections, the expectations of residents in early reconstruction-pursuing complexes have also risen. All 14 complexes in Mokdong have already completed their detailed safety inspection applications, and currently, more than half?seven complexes?have either completed or are undergoing detailed safety inspections.

This month, Gwangjin-gu also commissioned a detailed safety inspection service for the Gwangjang-dong Geukdong Apartment complex. Gwangjang Geukdong, consisting of 16 buildings and 1,344 households, is a mid-rise apartment complex built in two phases. Geukdong Phase 1 (448 households) was completed in 1985, and Geukdong Phase 2 (896 households) in 1989, both exceeding the 30-year reconstruction eligibility period. The Sinwol Siyeong Apartment complex in Yangcheon-gu, with 2,256 households built in 1988, has also applied for a detailed safety inspection.

However, industry observers note that passing the final safety inspection is not easy. The weight of structural safety in the detailed safety inspection criteria has increased from 20% to 50%, while the weight of residential environment has decreased from 40% to 15%. This means it has become difficult to optimistically expect passing the safety inspection based solely on residents' inconvenience due to aging complexes. Among the five grades from A to E, a Grade E allows reconstruction, but a Grade D requires an additional verification by public institutions. Receiving Grade C or higher means reconstruction is not possible. A maintenance industry official said, "Whether each complex passes the safety inspection can only be known after the appropriateness evaluation by public institutions," adding, "Some complexes have failed at the appropriateness evaluation stage, so a cautious approach is necessary."