First Trial Verdict Delivered Three Years After the Disaster...
Executives Acquitted
The first trial verdict for those responsible for the Gwangju Hwajeong I-Park collapse has been delivered three years after the incident.
On the 20th, Presiding Judge Ko Sangyoung of the 11th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court handed down guilty verdicts to 14 out of 20 defendants and acquitted 6 in the first trial regarding the criminal case of the I-Park new building collapse in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju.
Among the defendants, two site managers from Hyundai Development Company and Gahyeon were each sentenced to four years in prison, while officials from the architectural firm Gwangjang, who were in charge of supervision, received suspended prison sentences. The corporations Hyundai Development Company, Gahyeon, and Gwangjang were fined 500 million won, 300 million won, and 100 million won, respectively.
However, all executives of both the main and subcontractors, including former Hyundai Development Company CEO Kwon Soonho, were acquitted.
The reasons for the verdict included that while the executives had an abstract responsibility for supervision and oversight, they did not have a direct duty of care regarding the negligence of their employees, and the victims had submitted letters of non-punishment after reaching settlements. In addition, the court found insufficient evidence for the charges related to poor concrete quality and strength, acquitting those defendants as well.
The court stated, "This incident resulted in the serious harm of seven casualties, caused economic losses to buyers, and inflicted considerable damage on neighboring shop owners. However, since settlements were reached with the victims and letters of non-punishment were submitted, and as the incident occurred before the Serious Accident Punishment Act took effect, the executives cannot be held responsible."
The court did not order immediate detention for those sentenced to prison, in order to guarantee their right to defense in the appeal process.
Meanwhile, on January 11, 2022, at around 3:46 p.m., a collapse occurred at the construction site of Building 201 of Hwajeong I-Park in Seo-gu, Gwangju, where HDC Hyundai Development Company was carrying out new construction. The 39th floor, which was being concreted, collapsed, resulting in the deaths of six workers and injuries to one. Investigation results found that the accident was caused by a combination of unauthorized changes to construction methods without structural review and arbitrary removal of supports for the upper floors.
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