Seoul Mayor stresses safety over Lotte skyscraper
A view from the construction site of a 123-story office tower built by Lotte Group in Jamsil, southern Seoul. Lotte had planned to complete the skyscraper by late 2016 but a series of accidents at the construction site, including the death of a worker and a poorly-explained fire, has put the timeline in doubt, Korea Times
By Kim Tong-hyung
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said on Tuesday he will not allow Lotte Group to use its new trophy architecture if the company fails to provide convincing answers to recently-raised safety concerns.
Lotte, one of the country’s largest family-owned conglomerates, had planned to seek the city’s approval for the 123-story building it expected to open in late 2016 in Jamsil, southern Seoul.
However, a series of accidents at the construction site, including the death of a worker and a poorly-explained fire, has put the timeline in doubt.
“The Seoul Metropolitan Government will thoroughly inspect all aspects regarding the safety of the building and the construction process,’’ Park told reporters while visiting the site Tuesday.
“Unless the safety concerns are cleared, we will never approve the use of this building.”
After years of controversy, Lotte Group got the nod in 2010 to build the skyscraper, tentatively named the Second Lotte World Tower.
The construction has raised concerns over traffic congestion and safety risks to aircraft landing and taking off at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.