"Is the Apartment Rooftop a Playground?" Residents Outraged Over Teen Drinking Party

Various Trash Scattered on Hallway Floor
"Being Young Is No Excuse" Sharp Criticism
Apartment Rooftops Become Hotspots for Various Crimes

Teenagers are causing controversy by forcibly opening the rooftop access door of an apartment and holding a drinking party.

On the 30th, a post titled "What happened in our apartment" was uploaded on a domestic online community. The author, Mr. A, said, "I don't know the details, but it is said that minors forcibly opened the rooftop access door and held a drinking party," and posted a photo.

On the 30th, a post titled "What Happened in Our Apartment" was uploaded on a domestic online community. The disclosed photo contained a notice that had been posted in an apartment the previous day.
[Photo by Online Community]

The released photo showed a notice posted at an apartment the previous day. The apartment management office stated, "Recently, we identified teenagers who broke through the automatic rooftop access door and held a drinking party on the rooftop through CCTV."

They added, "We ask residents who are protecting the teenagers to guide them for their own safety and the safety of other residents," and "Please be aware that unauthorized entrants will inevitably be criminally charged for obstruction of business in the future."

The CCTV photo included at the bottom of the notice showed teenagers and various trash, including empty alcohol bottles, scattered on the corridor floor.

Mr. A added, "Not long ago, there was a post about elementary school children who ate ramen in the apartment lounge next to the security office and did not clean up, but this time it was a drinking party by minors. It's surprising."

Netizens who saw the news responded with comments such as, "Children drinking and climbing on the rooftop railing could fall, which is a dangerous issue," "Moral education should be strengthened at home and school," and "We should not overlook this just because they are young."

The Rooftop, a Hotbed of Incidents and Accidents

Since building rooftops are spaces designed for evacuation in emergencies, fire authorities have established guidelines that rooftop doors must always be kept open. However, it is argued that locking the doors for crime prevention while providing residents with keys in case of emergency is a more practical approach.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Apartment rooftops have long been a hotbed for various crimes. In the 2015 'Cat Mom' brick death incident at an apartment complex in Yongin, police investigations revealed that elementary school students climbed onto the rooftop and threw bricks, sparking debates about the opening and closing of building rooftop access doors.

Following the 'Cat Mom' brick death incident, the installation of automatic rooftop access door openers was mandated by law in February 2016. Apartment complexes built after the enactment of the law have automatic openers installed. However, many apartments built before then still do not have them installed.

Since building rooftops are spaces created for evacuation in emergencies, fire authorities have guidelines to keep rooftop doors open at all times. However, it is argued that locking the doors to prevent crime while providing residents with keys for emergencies is a more practical approach.

In particular, rooftops with open doors are also easily exploited by burglars as tools for crime, so many building residents still express negative opinions about opening apartment rooftops.