Construction Company CEOs Summoned Repeatedly at National Audit... Key Issues Include Poor Construction and Aggressive Bidding

Various Reasons Including Poor Construction, Major Accidents, and Fraudulent Bidding

From the 10th, CEOs of various construction companies such as DL E&C, GS Construction, Lotte Construction, and Hoban Construction will appear as witnesses at the upcoming National Assembly audit. They have been summoned by three different standing committees of the National Assembly for various issues including poor construction, fatal industrial accidents, and unfair bidding.

Lee Heun-seung, Chairman of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, presiding over the full committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th of last month. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

According to the National Assembly and the construction industry on the 4th, Vice Chairman Lim Byung-yong of GS Construction (Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee), CEO Ma Chang-min of DL E&C and Kim Jin, Head of Safety and Health Management at Lotte Construction (Environment and Labor Committee), and CEO Park Cheol-hee of Hoban Construction (Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee) have been selected as witnesses.

Vice Chairman Lim Byung-yong will appear at the audit regarding the collapse accident of the underground parking lot at the Incheon Geomdan apartment complex, ordered by the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH). Since 'rebar omission' has been identified as the direct cause of the accident, LH and GS Construction are expected to face intense criticism.

CEO Ma Chang-min and Head of Safety and Health Management Kim Jin will attend the Environment and Labor Committee audit concerning fatal industrial accidents. Since the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, DL E&C has experienced seven accidents resulting in eight deaths, earning the notorious title of the workplace with the highest number of industrial fatalities. Lotte Construction has also had serious accidents for three consecutive years.

CEO Park Cheol-hee will be summoned as a witness to the Industry Committee. Questions are expected to focus mainly on collusive bidding. In June, the Fair Trade Commission imposed a fine of 60.8 billion won on Hoban Construction for unfair support and private profit-seeking activities.