[Asia Exclusive] "Architects Handle Safety... Must Gain Social Recognition Through Mandatory Association Membership"

Seok Jeonghun, President of the Korea Institute of Registered Architects
Buildings Have Stronger Public Goods Characteristics Than Private Property
Architects Should Play a Social Role by Offering Opinions on Architecture
Apartment-Centered Housing Policies Have Many Side Effects
Youth Generation's Housing Issues Must Be Addressed

Seok Jeonghun, President of the Korea Institute of Registered Architects, is being interviewed on the 29th at the Korea Institute of Registered Architects building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Interview with Kangwook Cho, Head of Construction and Real Estate Department; Organized by Seoyul Hwang, Reporter] The Korea Institute of Registered Architects (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) is the largest architectural organization in Korea and has played a leading role in the architectural field for 57 years since its establishment in 1965. This year is expected to be a new turning point for the Institute. Due to the amendment of the Architect Act, mandatory membership in the Institute has been legalized for the first time in 22 years starting August 4. The core of the amendment is that architects must mandatorily join the Institute to open an architectural office. While there were opposing opinions both inside and outside the architectural community during the push for the amendment, Seok Jeong-hoon, President of the Korea Institute of Registered Architects, believes this will firmly establish the public role of architects and serve as an opportunity to correct external perceptions. President Seok, who succeeded in being re-elected for the first time in the Institute’s history, said, “If lawyers are social professionals responsible for human rights and doctors for life, architects are responsible for the safety of the people. The amendment was passed through a consensus that architects must fulfill their social responsibilities, but the real challenge starts now.”

The following is a Q&A with President Seok.

- We often hear the term “architect,” but the profession of “registered architect” is somewhat unfamiliar. Could you explain what a registered architect is?

△ A registered architect is like a conductor of an orchestra who oversees the entire architecture process. They play a supervisory role not only in design but throughout the entire construction process, from creation to maintenance and eventual demolition of a building. Most importantly, to become a registered architect, one must graduate from a five-year architecture program, accumulate three years of practical experience, and pass the national qualification exam called the Architect Examination. Because architects who are frequently exposed in the media are often called “architects,” the general public tends to be more familiar with that term. However, the title “architect” originally refers to those among registered architects who have made significant achievements and created new paradigms in the architectural field. This distinction is a sensitive issue among members of the Institute.

- Mandatory membership in the Institute seems to be the biggest issue this year. What does this mean for the architectural community?

△ When the architect system was established in 1963 and the Architect Act was enacted, obtaining an architect license and registering an architectural office automatically made one a member of the Institute. This system operated for 37 years until April 29, 2000, when it changed to voluntary membership. At that time, the government attempted to convert all professional organizations, including the Institute, to voluntary membership. The purpose was to encourage professionals not to pursue only their own interests but to provide high-quality services to the public through competition. However, this rationale was not realized and instead backfired. For example, issues such as license lending, low-price dumping contracts, unfair practices, and deterioration of architectural office management disrupted order in the architectural field. Architects became the professional group with the lowest income and the most difficult profession. Mandatory membership in the Institute means promoting technological advancement under a unified ethical code and aspiring to be architects who contribute to society. Because I have been leading this effort for some time, I was re-elected, and I am truly relieved to be able to see it through.

- What are the social roles of architects?

△ Changing the perception of buildings. In Korea, buildings are viewed only from an economic or real estate perspective. This means buildings are seen as private property rather than public goods. However, buildings have the characteristics of public goods. While I own a building, it is mine, but when sold, it becomes someone else’s. Because ownership can change, buildings have a public role. For example, in April, regarding the relocation of the Blue House to Yongsan, our Institute hosted a forum and suggested that although there is a temporary office now, a new presidential office building like the White House should be constructed in the future. We concluded by stating that we will continue research and provide direction. Offering opinions from an architectural perspective is the social role of architects. This is why the voice of the Institute is needed on social issues.

- I would like to ask more about the relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan. What direction should Seochon, from which the office moved, take?

△ Although the Institute is not conducting specific research on this, the biggest problem in Seoul is that traces and memories of the past are disappearing. Jongno-gu is an old urban area that reveals the nation’s identity, and Seochon is at its center. Instead of high-density high-rise development, it should be a place where cultural dignity permeates. Apartments are increasing in Seoul, which means the traditional concept of a village is disappearing. Because real estate policies are focused mainly on apartments, many side effects have emerged.

Seok Jeonghun, President of the Korea Institute of Registered Architects, is being interviewed on the 29th at the Korea Institute of Registered Architects building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

- What are some side effects of apartment-centered real estate policies?

△ First, the ladder for the younger generation to solve housing problems has been cut off. Building many apartments alone does not solve the problem. The reason apartments are preferred is probably because they are convenient to live in. Then, small residential facilities should also be designed to be convenient. Second, being in the city center of Seoul means excellent proximity between work and residence, but because these are not apartments, interest in this advantage is low. Narrowing the distance between work and home is not something distant apartments can solve. However, architects and the government have not paid attention because the design fees are too low. Proper design requires careful and deep research, but such conditions have not been provided. As a result, residential environments have deteriorated, and residents are stressed. Increasing floor area ratios in urban residential areas and providing various incentives to restore neighborhood functions could create designs where young people can live on their way to apartments, rather than apartment-centered youth housing policies.

- Construction supervision (where architects manage whether construction is proceeding according to design plans) is an important task for architects. Safety issues must also be crucial.

△ That is correct. Architects cannot escape responsibility for safety. However, their role is gradually being reduced and infringed upon. The government is taking measures such as legal amendments and strengthening penalties to address safety issues, but this increases costs and time, which ultimately burden the public. For example, after the 2017 Pohang earthquake, there was a general awareness that seismic resistance must be strengthened. No one opposes improving building safety, but whether all buildings in Korea should be designed with seismic resistance needs reconsideration. It is necessary depending on region, use, function, and scale, but there is no reason for blanket application.

Applying seismic standards indiscriminately even in regions with no history of earthquakes over 5,000 years increases construction costs and economic burdens on the public. At that time, we proposed a rational plan to classify seismic zones and apply different reinforcement methods accordingly. However, the problem is that even when we voice such opinions, there is no proper channel to convey them, and they are rarely reflected. This differs from other professional groups. Lawyers are recognized for human rights, doctors for life, and architects for safety, so we should be recognized as social professionals. However, our own efforts are insufficient, and external perceptions are often distorted. Mandatory membership is important for changing this perception, including regarding safety.

- When discussing safety issues, the Gwangju collapse accident cannot be overlooked. What is needed to prevent such incidents from recurring?

△ Safe design requires necessary time and costs. However, when this conflicts with economic logic, it results in “fast and cheap.” This is a remnant of the development era of the 1970s and 1980s. Because of the desire for high profits, safety is not treated as a constant but as a variable that can be done or not. To properly solve safety issues, a change in awareness and an increase in construction costs are necessary. But since this again burdens the public, a compromise is needed. The Serious Accident Punishment Act can be positively evaluated as a warning message to the architecture and construction industries not to make mistakes, but it cannot solve all problems. Strengthening penalties loses effectiveness over time. Fundamentally, the perception that fast construction is everything must change. For example, public buildings now have strengthened safety requirements, making construction costs much higher than private buildings. I believe such changes are necessary.

- What are the challenges after mandatory membership takes effect on August 4?

△ Some people feel uncomfortable with mandatory membership. I want to persuade them to become members of the Institute. Also, the architectural community is currently very fragmented and unable to exert proper influence. Efforts to unify the architectural community, which failed about ten years ago, are needed. Furthermore, I will work to help the architectural community regain its rightful place.