HDC Hyundai Development "Construction Proceeded Safely According to Plan" Refutes 'Poor Workmanship' Claims

Gwangju Collapse Accident: Rebuttal to Criticism of 'Nalrim Construction'

On the 12th, marking the second day since the structural collapse at Hwajeong Hyundai I-Park mixed-use apartment complex in Seo-gu, Gwangju, authorities decided to resume the search for missing persons after conducting a safety inspection. During concrete pouring on the rooftop of one building under construction, the exterior wall and internal structure from the 28th to 34th floors collapsed, resulting in six workers missing. The photo shows the accident site on the morning of the same day.

Regarding the collapse accident at the Hwajeong Hyundai I-Park construction site in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, HDC Hyundai Development Company claimed on the 12th that there was no poor construction or sloppy work.

HDC Hyundai Development Company issued a statement on the same day, saying, "There are parts of the current media reports that are not true," and added, "Some claims that the construction was rushed due to delays in the schedule are not true."

HDC Hyundai Development Company emphasized, "The construction was progressing slightly faster than the schedule, so there was no need to forcibly shorten the construction period," and "The construction proceeded according to the plan, and on weekends, finishing work was carried out safely."

They also claimed, "The assertion that sufficient curing was not done is also untrue."

HDC Hyundai Development Company stated, "The casting of Building 201, where the accident occurred, had undergone a sufficient curing period of at least 12 to 18 days as of the accident date," adding, "The 38th floor below had 18 days of curing as of the accident date, and the pit floor (where various pipes such as equipment pass) just below the 39th floor also underwent 12 days of curing before the 39th floor slab casting was carried out on the 11th." They emphasized, "This is a sufficient period to secure the necessary strength."

This was a rebuttal to industry experts' opinions suggesting that safety issues might have arisen due to rushing the construction to advance the schedule.

Hyundai Development Company CEO Yoo Byung-gyu is issuing an apology near the site of the newly constructed apartment exterior wall collapse accident in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, on the morning of the 12th.

Meanwhile, Yoo Byung-kyu, CEO of HDC Hyundai Development Company, visited the accident site on the morning of the same day and issued an official apology.

CEO Yoo delivered an apology near the Fire Department's accident response headquarters at the accident site in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, saying, "An unacceptable accident has occurred," and "We deeply acknowledge the responsibility of HDC Hyundai Development Company."

He said, "We sincerely apologize to the missing persons and their families who have been affected by this unfortunate accident at our construction site, as well as to the citizens of Gwangju."

He emphasized that the search and rescue of the missing persons is the top priority. CEO Yoo stated, "We will work closely with related agencies such as the Fire Department, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gwangju Metropolitan City, and Seo-gu Office to thoroughly conduct the search for the missing persons," and "We are also doing our best to ensure safety measures to prevent secondary damage during this process."

CEO Yoo added, "Immediately after the accident, HDC Hyundai Development Company dispatched about 50 people, including executives like myself, safety experts, and others, to the accident site," and "Currently, in cooperation with related agencies, we are establishing safety measures to search for and rescue the missing persons and to prevent additional damage, and securing the necessary equipment and personnel."

He also said, "We will sincerely cooperate with investigations by law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to determine the cause of the accident," and added, "Once again, I bow my head deeply to apologize for this accident, and we will do our utmost to manage the accident response and recovery efforts."