Board of Audit and Inspection: "Construction Engineers Participated in Services During Suspension Period"

Announcement of Audit Results on Disadvantageous System Operation in the Construction Industry... "No Separate Administrative Sanction Standards Established"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] An audit report from the Board of Audit and Inspection revealed that there are no established administrative sanction standards for construction technicians participating in service projects during their suspension period, making additional penalties impossible.

On the 29th, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced the results of an audit on the "Operation Status of Disadvantage Systems in the Construction Industry." According to the Board, an inspection of 3,668 construction technicians who received suspension orders over the past five years found that 219 of them participated in 410 construction technology service projects during their suspension periods.

The Board pointed out, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has not separately established administrative sanction standards for construction technicians performing work during their suspension period under the Construction Technology Promotion Act (Geonjin Act)," adding, "(When participating in service projects during suspension) additional sanctions are impossible, resulting in the ineffectiveness of administrative sanctions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Board also highlighted issues with the administrative sanction standards for construction technology service providers who borrow or lend construction technology career certificates.

The Board explained, "The Geonjin Act does not have provisions for imposing administrative sanctions such as business suspension on construction technology service providers who borrow or lend construction technology career certificates."

The Board stated, "While regulations stipulate business suspension if registration criteria are not met after registering as a construction technology service provider, there are no separate provisions to cancel registration if the criteria were fraudulently met by borrowing career certificates or other dishonest methods."

The Board notified the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to establish appropriate administrative sanction regulations for construction technicians who unlawfully perform work during their suspension period due to legal violations.

Additionally, it urged the establishment of regulations such as business suspension to enable administrative sanctions against construction technology service providers who borrow or lend construction technology career certificates.