Another worker's death at Lotte World site renews safety concerns

By Nam Hyun-woo

A worker was killed Tuesday while doing plumbing work in a wing of the Second Lotte World complex under construction in Jamsil in southern Seoul. / Yonhap

An employee was killed Tuesday during construction of the second Lotte World complex in Jamsil, Seoul, renewing safety concerns about the high-rise building.

According to police, a 38 year-old man surnamed Hwang, was engaged in plumbing work at around 8:40 a.m. on the 12th floor of the complex’s entertainment wing.

Police said Hwang was killed after being hit by a metal lid from an exploding pipe. There were no further casualties, according to the police.

The construction was halted from 11:30 a.m. and police are investigating whether the accident was caused by a mistake or lax safety standards.

Criticism is mounting about the construction because this is not the first time an accident has occurred during construction of the massive complex.

Last June, part of the Lotte World Tower collapsed, killing one and injuring five others.

Four months later, a huge metal pipe fell 50 meters to the ground, injuring a pedestrian.

Less than two months ago, a huge fire broke out on the 44th floor of a 123-story skyscraper in the complex. Though there were no casualties, public concern over safety increased. The Seoul Metropolitan Government ordered a hiatus on the steel-frame construction and launched a safety inspection.

In March 2013, cracks were found in concrete on a major pillar of the building, resulting in further safety checks.

Due to the series of accidents, Lotte Construction was stripped off its right to regulate construction safety and has been monitored by the Ministry of Employment and Labor since June last year.

Experts points out Lotte Constructions’ excessive pushing to complete projects triggers such accidents caused by safety breaches. The company plans to partly open the complex in May, though construction is at some 60 percent.

The complex, worth 3.5 trillion won, will include an amusement park, a hotel, a department store and the 555-meter-tall building.

The construction was granted permission to go ahead in 1998, years passed before ground was broken.

The Air Force has been strongly opposed the construction because of the tower’s proximity to Seoul Airport in Seongnam. The airport serves as home to a fighter squadron assigned to defend the capital.

After a delay, former President Lee Myung-bak approved the plan in 2010, ordering the airport to alter its runway by 3 degrees. The decision prompted severe criticism of the government, that it favored the company at the cost of public safety.