Revision of the "Goljae Extraction Act" Bill Delayed from Late This Year to First Half of Next Year
"Pilot Operation of Aggregate Tracking for 10 Companies Before Law Amendment"
Recently, due to rising construction costs, defective aggregates mixed with soil have been circulating, prompting the government to initiate amendments to the law to prevent this. However, with the impeachment political turmoil causing the amendment bill to be stalled in the National Assembly, it is expected that the legal basis to block defective aggregates will only be established in the first half of next year.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on the 12th, the government’s amendment bill to the 'Aggregate Mining Act,' which manages the distribution history of aggregates, is currently pending in the National Assembly. The amendment stipulates that aggregates must be traded through a standard delivery note containing information such as the aggregate mining company, aggregate type, and quantity, and that this information must be registered in the Aggregate Resource Information System (AGRIS). Through this, MOLIT, local governments, and the construction industry can also identify the origin of the aggregates.
The government plans to mandate the management of aggregate distribution history for all aggregate companies by 2026 once the law is amended in the first half of next year. However, since the amendment has not been enacted, starting from the 13th, this history management will be implemented for 10 aggregate mining companies before the law is revised.These 10 companies will be required to trade aggregates through the standard delivery note and register transactions in AGRIS. Additionally, to ensure smooth implementation of the system, explanatory meetings will be held for the industry to disseminate the history management measures.
Defective aggregates are considered a major cause of building collapse accidents. Collapse accidents at construction sites such as apartments occur due to reduced strength of ready-mixed concrete. The main ingredient of ready-mixed concrete is aggregate, and the more soil mixed in the aggregate, the weaker the concrete’s strength becomes. Recently, as aggregate prices have soared, the possibility of defective aggregates entering the market has increased. The price of crushed aggregates in the metropolitan area has steadily risen from 14,700 KRW per cubic meter in July 2020 to 18,300 KRW last July.
Despite the growing crisis of defective aggregate inflow, the government currently has no way to prevent it. MOLIT had planned to amend the law within this year to block defective aggregate distribution, but due to political turmoil, this timeline has been postponed to the first half of next year. Although there are no disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties regarding the amendment, it is anticipated that the passage of the bill may be difficult due to the political situation.
Kim Sang-moon, Director of the Construction Policy Bureau at MOLIT, said, "Managing aggregate distribution history can block defective aggregates and will be an important opportunity to secure excellent quality in construction projects," adding, "Industry interest is necessary to ensure that aggregate history management is firmly established."
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