Yongsan-gu Conducts Mandatory Safety Inspections on 1,300 Small-Scale Aged Buildings

Mandatory Safety Inspections for
Small-Scale Buildings Over 30 Years Old
with Total Floor Area of 3,000㎡ or Less

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Hee-young) will conduct mandatory safety inspections on approximately 1,300 small-scale aging buildings from this month until October.

The mandatory safety inspections for small-scale aging buildings are carried out by the district office designating target buildings in order of aging degree and structure type. Starting with 1,800 buildings in 2020, this project has continued for six years. Due to the characteristics of the old downtown area where small-scale aging buildings are densely concentrated, Yongsan-gu has secured the largest municipal subsidy of about 63 million KRW among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts, establishing a proactive and systematic safety management system.

An expert is conducting an on-site inspection during a mandatory safety check of small-scale aging buildings last year. Provided by Yongsan-gu.

The inspection targets buildings with a total floor area of 3,000㎡ or less that are not subject to mandatory statutory regular inspections and have been in use for more than 30 years since their initial approval. However, buildings with simple facility defects unrelated to structural safety, such as pipe leaks, buildings subject to separate inspection obligations under individual laws, and buildings within redevelopment or maintenance zones are excluded from the inspection.

The inspection is conducted on-site by construction experts using the Seoul small-scale aging building safety inspection checklist. They check eight items related to the main structural components (structural deformation, cracks, damage of major members, etc.), four items related to auxiliary facilities (retaining walls, embankments, fences, etc.), three items related to non-structural components (door frame warping, exterior wall detachment, etc.), and four other items (overloading on rooftops and interiors, detachment of protruding objects, etc.).

The inspection results are rated on five levels: excellent, good, average, insufficient, and poor. Experts also provide advice on safety measures and maintenance methods. Buildings rated as insufficient or poor, which have a high risk of collapse, will be guided to undergo detailed safety inspections (diagnosis).

Among the approximately 1,300 buildings inspected last year, one building was rated as "insufficient," and the district office advised the owner to carry out repair and reinforcement measures.

Meanwhile, the district office is also conducting a "visiting small-scale aging building safety inspection" alongside the mandatory inspections. The visiting inspection is conducted on buildings selected from those applied for by owners or building management entities. From January to April this year, inspections were conducted at five locations, all rated as "average." A total of about 40 locations are planned to be inspected by the end of this year.

District Mayor Park Hee-young stated, "Since Yongsan is an area densely populated with small-scale aging buildings, it is crucial to protect the lives and property of residents through proactive safety inspections. We will continue to strengthen the safety net in daily life through thorough on-site inspections and follow-up management."