Ruling Party Proposes "National Investigation into Poor Construction" vs Opposition Criticizes as "Blame Shifting and Finger Pointing"

Kim Ki-hyun "Construction Cartel State Audit"
Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over LH Apartment Poor Construction
High-Level Party-Government Meeting on the 2nd Afternoon to Discuss Related Measures

On the 2nd, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the responsibility of the current and previous administrations regarding the poor construction, including missing rebar, in apartments built by Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH). The People Power Party (PPP) blamed the "Moon Jae-in administration" and formed a task force (TF) for fact-finding through an emergency meeting held that morning, followed by a high-level party-government consultation in the afternoon to discuss countermeasures. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party countered, saying "the current government is shifting responsibility."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, posted on Facebook on the 2nd during his vacation, stating, "The People Power Party will identify the actual conditions of poor apartment construction, devise safety measures, and hold responsible parties and related companies accountable." He added, "We will push for a parliamentary audit to uncover the corruption behind the construction interest cartel and thoroughly investigate its background."

Earlier that morning, Yoon Jae-ok, the floor leader, held an emergency meeting at the National Assembly and said, "The People Power Party will launch a fact-finding TF separate from government audits and investigations to thoroughly uncover the entire situation of the apartment poor construction scandal." The TF chairman is Kim Jung-jae, a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the People Power Party. The TF is expected to begin discussions on its activities as early as the 4th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The People Power Party pointed to the 'construction interest cartel' originating from the previous administration as the background of LH's poor construction. Kim said, "The recently revealed 'flat slab method' poor underground parking lot incident exposes the true face of the 'construction interest cartel' that has fattened itself without regard for the lives and property of the people." He criticized, "The giant organization LH, which was exposed for using exclusive prior information for land speculation and house flipping, has now been found to have even condoned the 'missing rebar' and 'poor construction' by the construction interest cartel, which is infuriating."

Kim continued, "(LH) has tacitly allowed and neglected the three no's (poor design, poor construction, poor supervision), which is close to intentional negligence." He emphasized, "Former ministers Kim Hyun-mi and Byun Chang-heum, who held top positions in the housing construction sector during the Moon Jae-in administration, must come forward and explain to the public what exactly they did at the time and why these three no's were rampant."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party fiercely criticized the ruling party’s push for a parliamentary audit as an attempt to deflect responsibility from the current government and blame others. Park Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a press briefing after the party’s supreme council meeting that morning, "Regarding the 'boneless chicken apartment' ordered by LH, the president and the People Power Party are blaming the previous government. Especially, the People Power Party’s suggestion of a parliamentary audit seems like an attempt to distance themselves from responsibility under the Yoon administration. We said that the Yoon administration should stop shifting responsibility and blaming others."

Furthermore, Park dismissed the possibility of a parliamentary audit concerning the poor construction issue. He explained, "(Regarding the poor construction apartment issue) our position is that rather than a parliamentary audit, the prosecution should investigate any corruption involved, and since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is related, the government should take responsibility, identify the causes, and prepare countermeasures."

Meanwhile, the government and ruling party planned to hold a high-level party-government consultation at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Seoul that afternoon to discuss countermeasures related to the poor construction of LH-ordered apartments. The ruling party canceled the originally scheduled attendance at the opening ceremony of the World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, and floor leader Yoon and Policy Committee Chairman Park Dae-chul attended. On the government side, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, and LH President Lee Han-jun were present.