Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Strengthens Crackdown on Illegal Activities at Construction Sites

Five Key Laws for Construction Normalization... Opposition Cooperation Needed
Crackdown on Illegal Activities Must Be Intensified

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will strengthen crackdowns on illegal and unfair practices at construction sites, such as forced employment and excessive overtime pay demands.

On the 28th, Kim Sang-moon, Director General of the Construction Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said at the '4th Land, Infrastructure and Transport Industry Relay Meeting' held at the Specialized Construction Hall in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, under the theme of 'Measures to Eradicate Illegal and Unfair Practices at Construction Sites,' "We proposed the Five Laws for Construction Normalization (Construction Industry Act, Construction Machinery Management Act, Judicial Police Duties Act, Labor Union Act, Fair Recruitment Act), but we hit a wall," adding, "Therefore, we have no choice but to increase the intensity of crackdowns on illegal activities." The Five Laws for Construction Normalization include strengthening penalties for substandard construction and granting investigative authority over illegal activities at construction sites to special judicial police.

Photo of the "4th Land, Infrastructure and Transport Industry Relay Meeting" held on the 28th at the Specialized Construction Hall in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, under the theme "Measures to Eradicate Illegal and Unfair Practices at Construction Sites." [Photo by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport]

The Five Laws for Construction Normalization are difficult to legislate without the cooperation of the opposition party, which holds a majority of seats. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's position is that, given the difficulty in pushing legislation, it must increase the intensity of crackdowns on illegal activities at construction sites. Director Kim stated, "There have been demands from the industry to strengthen crackdowns," and added, "Currently, the National Police Agency is also considering the timing of crackdowns, as it conducted a special crackdown for 250 days last year." From December 2022 to August last year, the National Police Agency referred a total of 4,829 people and arrested 148 through special crackdowns on illegal and unfair practices at construction sites.

On the same day, Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, added, "Although the government’s crackdown on illegal activities last year led to significant improvements, the industry and we share the recognition that illegal activities have not disappeared but still exist in other forms such as transformation and circumvention."

A representative example is excessive overtime pay. Due to the government's crackdown on illegal activities, the practice of monthly fees (Wolryebi) has almost disappeared. However, there are concerns that tower crane operators, who do not receive monthly fees, have inflated overtime pay, effectively reviving the monthly fee practice through loopholes. The behavior of operators demanding excessive overtime pay has become entrenched like the past monthly fee practice.

On the 28th, Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, speaks at the "4th Land, Infrastructure and Transport Industry Relay Meeting" held at the Specialized Construction Hall in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the theme of "Measures to Eradicate Illegal and Unfair Practices at Construction Sites."
[Photo by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport]

Meanwhile, at the meeting, Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) pointed out that there have been no reports of illegal activities at construction sites. Park Dae-soon, Head of LH Construction Management Division, said, "Since the illegal activity survey conducted from February to May last year, there have been zero reports through the reporting channels," adding, "The causes include a lack of confidence in eradicating illegal activities, losses due to prolonged litigation, and fears of retaliation." In response, LH will conduct a nationwide simultaneous investigation quarterly to eradicate illegal activities at construction sites. The aim is to spread awareness of efforts to eliminate illegal activities and foster a fair construction culture. Additionally, through a pilot project to install video recording devices at construction sites by January 2026, LH will operate in six pilot districts to eradicate illegal activities.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will conduct a full survey of construction site conditions through related associations by the 29th. From next month, it will crack down on illegal activities at construction sites in cooperation with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the National Police Agency, and others.