[Inside Chodong] Watered-Down Concrete Site Inspections and the Cost of Distrust

Jonghwa Kim, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] After the article titled "Watered-down Concrete Site Inspection Imminent... Emergency Alert in the Ready-Mix Concrete Industry" was published on the 8th, readers' reactions were intense. The gist of the article is that "The unit quantity (water content) quality inspection is about to be implemented, but construction and ready-mix concrete companies have not even prepared unit quantity measuring devices. Since this system is intended to eliminate distrust in concrete quality, preparations should be made quickly."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport established the "Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standards" on September 1 and announced the "Standard Specifications for Concrete Work" based on these standards. Considering the preparation period for construction sites, the implementation date was postponed to the 1st of next month. From next month’s 1st, the moisture content must be measured for every 120㎥ of concrete delivered to construction sites or whenever the mix changes. The allowable unit quantity is 185㎏/㎥ or less, meaning the amount of water included in 1㎥ of concrete must not exceed 185㎏.

This government measure aims to resolve distrust in watered-down concrete and prevent recurrence of accidents like the apartment collapse in Gwangju, but many question whether it will be effective. The endless stream of readers’ comments is evidence of this.

Comments pointing out loopholes in on-site inspections include: "Adjustments are made after inspection," "Inspection samples should be taken from the concrete as it is being placed on site," and "They pass inspection with normal ready-mix concrete but add water when pouring into the pump truck." Many comments also suggested solutions, such as "The loophole in official duties is that it is announced in advance. Inspections should be unannounced to catch violations," and "If an accident occurs, detain the company president, not just the site manager."

Another problem with this new system is that "Designs or constructions underway before the law was amended are not subject to inspection, reducing its effectiveness." As of November, there are 55,214 construction sites nationwide with construction costs over 100 million won under the Construction Industry Basic Act, but only 14,266 sites started construction after the standard was announced on September 1. The 40,948 sites that began before that are excluded from the "watered-down concrete inspection" target, leaving it entirely up to their conscience whether they used proper concrete.

In summary, there is deep-rooted distrust toward problematic construction and ready-mix concrete companies that prioritize profit over safety and engage in unscrupulous illegal practices, causing defects, collapses, and personnel accidents. In today’s information age, surprise site inspections are difficult, and with companies even appointing joint representatives to avoid punishment, there will always be ways to evade accountability. The authorities will have to invest enormous taxes, time, and effort to avoid being deceived by companies trying to cheat.

Psychologist Tim Levine proposed a theory explaining why people are easily deceived and poor at detecting lies: humans have evolved to assume others are honest, taking truth as the default in relationships. Constant suspicion and proving truth require too much time and cost, so even if sometimes deceived and paying a price, trusting others’ conscience and sincerity is more beneficial for efficient communication and social consensus.

During this investigative reporting process, I felt much skepticism about this "cost of mistrust" and the widespread distrust in Korean society, but it is a priority to restore trust and lead to self-purification through institutional monitoring and sanctions. As the saying goes, "Well begun is half done," and I hope the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the responsible agency, will continue to improve the system and strengthen management.