Jamsil Miseong Clover Union Members Take to the Streets in Scorching Heat
Booklet Shows 'U-Shaped' Kitchen, Construction Delivers 'Straight-Line' Design
Union President Dismissal Meeting Set for the 19th... Union and Lotte Cite "Maintenance Company Error"
Union Plans General Sales of Jamsil Le El at the End of July
Union members of the Jamsil Le El (Jamsil Miseong Clover) reconstruction project, currently under construction by Lotte Engineering & Construction, have raised objections, claiming that their homes are being built differently from the originally provided blueprints. Lotte Engineering & Construction has stated that the error was caused by the maintenance company (specialized maintenance project management company), and that restoration to the original plans can only be carried out if the union members agree and the union covers the costs. While the union is preparing a negotiation team to respond, some members are organizing a general meeting to dismiss the union president, suggesting that negotiations are likely to face difficulties.
On the 8th, Miseong Clover union members held a rally in front of Songpa District Office and at Jamsil Sageori, demanding accountability from Lotte Engineering & Construction, the union, and Songpa District. Despite the scorching heat approaching 35 degrees Celsius, about 30 union members held placards reading "Union president, step down," "Lotte, take responsibility," and "Songpa District Office, resign." These members are those who were allocated the 84㎡C type of the apartment. They argued, "The blueprint in the contract is different from the actual construction blueprint, and we were not informed about the changes."
The 84㎡C blueprint provided to union members featured a U-shaped kitchen, but the kitchen as constructed is a straight-line type with an island dining table. After members protested, Lotte Engineering & Construction and the union opened a sample house for the 84㎡C type last month. One member who visited the site said, "A 3-meter island dining table and a massive hood are placed right in the middle of the living room, which also raises safety concerns."
Union members explained that during the process of amending the business implementation plan in 2023, the straight-line kitchen blueprint was approved; however, there was no resolution by the board of representatives or a general meeting, nor was there a public review process. Even the allocation guide for union members distributed in July 2023 used the original blueprint, and at the general meeting on the amendment of the management disposition plan in October of the same year, the blueprint still showed a U-shaped kitchen.
Floor plan of the 84㎡ C-type D-shaped kitchen approved at the October 2024 management disposition plan amendment general meeting. Provided by Jamsil Miseong Clover union members
Other types were also found to have been constructed differently from the blueprints. Another union member said, "The living room window in the 74㎡B type was changed from three sections to two, the 59㎡B type lost its dressing room window, and in the 95㎡ type, a chimney descends from the kitchen ceiling. For other types, the union has not even released photos, so there will be chaos during the pre-inspection in November."
Lotte Engineering & Construction and the union explained that the failure to update the blueprints was due to the maintenance company’s mistake. They stated that the maintenance company included the old design in the booklet distributed to union members instead of the revised design. The maintenance company is contracted to supplement the union’s administrative tasks. A union representative said, "The maintenance company included the 2022 design in the booklet," and added, "The construction company proceeded with the work as approved."
The union plans to form a negotiation team including the construction company and design firm to discuss the matter with members. The union members have met the requirements to convene a general meeting to dismiss the union president and will hold an extraordinary general meeting for dismissal on the 19th. One member said, "If the union holds a general meeting in September and passes the amendment to the management disposition plan, it will mean we have approved the changed blueprints. We will no longer have a voice." In response, the union is sending messages urging members not to cooperate with what they call the "illegal dismissal general meeting" organized by the emergency committee.
Lotte Engineering & Construction maintains that if restoration is to be carried out according to the members’ wishes, the union must pay the costs. A representative of Lotte Engineering & Construction said, "The amount of furniture in the modified island type is greater than in the U-shaped type, so it is difficult to say that members have suffered a loss," and added, "If restoration is still desired, the union must reach an agreement consenting to the construction, and since additional costs are involved, a resolution at the general meeting is required."
Jamsil Le El is a reconstruction project of the Jamsil Miseong Clover Apartments, located at 17-6 Sincheon-dong, Songpa District, and will consist of 13 buildings with 1,865 units, ranging from three basement levels to 35 above-ground floors. Lotte Engineering & Construction was initially selected as the contractor in 2017, but the selection was nullified after it was revealed that the company had provided money and valuables to some union members. In 2023, the union reselected Lotte Engineering & Construction as the contractor. General sales are scheduled for the end of this month. A union representative said, "We plan to submit the sales price review to Songpa District this week," and regarding the controversial 84㎡C type, stated, "It is not included among the units for general sale."
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