Suspicions of Construction Deviating from Design and Fire Incident Concealment
Construction Company States "Will Promptly Resolve Inadequate Areas"
Amid ongoing controversies surrounding newly built apartments, netizens are outraged over the story of a prospective resident who visited a newly built officetel and apartment complex in Sejong for a preliminary inspection. On the 7th, an online community, BobaeDream, posted a message titled "I went to a preliminary inspection of a newly built apartment in Sejong City." The author, Mr. A, shared several photos, stating, "Photos of defects collected after the preliminary inspection of a newly built apartment in Sejong City from the 5th to the 7th."
Mr. A explained, "The preliminary inspection was originally scheduled to start on the 15th of last month, but a representative from the construction company wanted to conduct the inspection with a more completed appearance, so it was postponed to the 5th." He added, "I expected to see an apartment that reflected the intention behind the postponement, but my expectations were shattered from the very first day."
Looking at the photos he posted, the ceiling work was not yet completed, and the finishing of the wall tiles was also inadequate. The hallway was filled with construction materials. There was a large crack on the floor, and wires were exposed as the living room lights had not been installed. [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']
Photos he posted show that the ceiling work was still incomplete, and the wall tiles were poorly finished. Construction materials were piled up in the hallways. There were large cracks on the floor, and wires were exposed due to the absence of installed fixtures in the living room and other areas. Moreover, on one wall, there appeared to be marks as if someone had scratched the wallpaper to write letters. Mr. A added that these letters were presumed to be profanity.
What shocked Mr. A the most was human feces left in the bathroom drain. Someone had covered it partially with a blue Danpara box. Additionally, there were clear traces of feces inside the toilet. Mr. A said, "I never thought something I only saw on the news would actually happen." He also claimed, "Besides this, the apartment concealed a fire that occurred during construction, and some buildings were not constructed at all. Due to numerous issues such as construction differing from the blueprints, I even question whether moving in is possible."
What embarrassed Mr. A more than anything was the human waste left unattended in the bathroom drain. Someone had done their business and partially covered it with a blue Danpara box. Not only that, but there were also signs of feces all over the toilet. [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']
Similar Complaints of Damage Continue
Similar complaints have been reported on the real estate application 'HogangNono.' Prospective resident Mr. B said, "I went to the preliminary inspection, and the condition was serious. Materials were piled up in the hallways and inside the rooms," adding, "The floor finishes were not done, and outlets and switches were not installed. It was just a construction site." Another prospective resident expressed anger, saying, "If this is the case, they should have changed the inspection date. I don't understand why they called people over only to have this happen," and "I had some expectations and took time off to go, but I ended up showered in dust at the construction site."
A complaint was also filed on the Sejong City Council website. Ms. C, a woman in her 30s and mother of two children, wrote on the 7th, "My husband and I, who were overjoyed to win a newlywed special subscription with an overwhelming competition rate of 180 to 1 in Sejong, a great place to live for over three years, traveled from Sacheon, Gyeongnam, with our two young children for the preliminary inspection yesterday. There was no switch to turn on the lights, and no electricity, so it was dark. How is it possible to conduct a preliminary inspection under such conditions?" She claimed to have found 99 defects.
A complaint was also posted on the Sejong City Council website. Ms. C, a woman in her 30s and mother of two children, said on the 7th, "My husband and I, who were overjoyed with tears of happiness after winning the newlywed special supply lottery with an incredible competition rate of 180 to 1 in Sejong, a great place to live, three years and a few months ago, went up from Sacheon, Gyeongnam to Sejong yesterday for a preliminary inspection with our two young children." She expressed her frustration, saying, "There was not even a switch to turn on the lights, and no electricity was coming in, so it was dark. Is it even possible to conduct a preliminary inspection under such conditions?" She claimed to have found as many as 99 defects. [Photo by Sejong City Council website]
She continued, "The sale price alone is 400 million won. As a young couple in their 30s in Korea, this was our hard-earned money, sweat, and blood, saved without even going on overseas trips, with hopes for a life in Sejong where our children can grow well, and finally having our own home instead of a rental." She appealed to city council members to visit the preliminary inspection site.
Prospective resident Mr. D said, "I cannot understand how they expect us to conduct a preliminary inspection in this condition," expressing anger. "There are large amounts of construction materials and waste piled up in the basement, and asking us to inspect this when the construction progress is said to be over 98% is clearly deceiving the contractors."
Additionally, prospective residents of duplex units raised concerns about safety, claiming that the stairs were smaller and uneven in height, differing from the original design blueprints and contract terms. Some residents of specific buildings also alleged that a recent fire occurred in the EPS room, causing soot damage to many units, and that there was an attempt to conceal this incident.
As the controversy grew, the construction company issued a statement. The company said, "We will complete the unfinished parts as soon as possible." However, they also explained, "The defects were found only in some units, and many places had no problems," calling it "just some complaints." Regarding the units where human feces were found, they explained, "We provide prior training to workers, but there are limits to preventing unexpected situations." On measures such as apologies or compensation for units where defects were found during the preliminary inspection, they stated, "We will do our best to repair the defects."
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