Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "Strict Penalties for Shoddy Construction Amid Material Shortages"

Visiting Sejong Apartment Construction Site
Minister Urges Strict Adherence to Quality and Safety Standards

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-duk addressed concerns about potential shoddy construction at building sites due to the Middle East war, stating on May 4, "If we identify any violations this time, we will make sure to hold those responsible accountable. There will be no cases swept under the rug or left unresolved."

There have been ongoing concerns inside and outside the industry that, as a result of the war, construction sites are facing material supply shortages or suppliers are excessively raising prices, which leads to the use of substandard materials and a decline in quality. The government intends to respond firmly to these issues of shoddy construction.

On this day, Minister Kim visited a Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) apartment construction site in Sejong and emphasized, "We will never tolerate poor construction practices, such as using substandard products due to material shortages or skipping construction procedures. Ensuring safety and quality is the most fundamental and top priority in the construction industry."

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoonduk Kim visited an apartment construction site in Sejong City on the 4th to check the recent material supply situation and inspect the site. Photo by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

To address material supply shortages at construction sites resulting from the Middle East war, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport began a three-week special site inspection starting today. The inspection will focus on monitoring cases of shoddy construction and the use of substandard materials. Park Dong-joo, Director of Construction Safety at the Ministry, stated, "Depending on the inspection results, we will impose strict administrative measures such as penalty points or fines. Delivering substandard ready-mixed concrete is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won, and we will rigorously enforce these regulations at construction sites."

Minister Kim also announced that the government has implemented measures to facilitate smooth cost adjustments at construction sites in light of the recent surge in raw material prices. According to the Ministry, related agencies such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Financial Services Commission have recently agreed to recognize the Middle East war as a 'force majeure' event. This provides grounds for adjusting construction periods and costs between clients and contractors.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoon-Duk Kim visited the apartment construction site in Sejong on the 4th and met with representatives from the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) and the site manager to discuss the recent status of material supply. Photo by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Minister Kim said, "It is important to ensure that construction proceeds without disruption, while also minimizing damage to companies caused by soaring construction costs. We have recently discussed with the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of Economy and Finance measures for financial support in response to increased construction costs and ways to adjust contract amounts in line with price fluctuations."

During the meeting, participants also discussed disruptions in certain processes at construction sites due to the sharp rise in material prices. It was reported that, for now, construction is not being halted due to a complete shortage of materials, but rather price increases driven by hoarding and other factors have become more pronounced. An LH official explained, "Prices for some materials have risen by about 10 to 20 percent, so we are responding by adjusting deadlines and project schedules accordingly. This mainly applies to waterproofing materials such as insulation and sheet materials."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.