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| / Courtesy of Citizen Songpa |
By Lee Ji-hye
Cracks in the floor of the new Lotte World Tower are not a safety hazard but part of the building's decor, said Lotte officials Monday after a civic group raised complaints.
The cracks appeared set to become the latest mishap in the mega construction project, which has already been hampered by the appearance of sinkholes, among other issues.
Earlier this week, a local newspaper published an "exclusive report" about the cracks, raising potential safety issues. However, a Lotte Engineering and Construction official told the Chosun Ilbo that the "cracks" were markings intended to "recreate the appearance of the streets of Seoul in the 30s to the 70s."
"It has nothing to do with the structure's safety. It was all intended," the official was quoted as saying.
Kim Hyun-ik, the representative of the local organization Citizen Songpa, which initially raised concerns over the cracks, responded that the decorative marks were still in poor taste.
"Even if it was all decoration, they were too inconsiderate," Kim said over the phone. "Safety is the thing that people are most concerned about with this building, and they shouldn't have used such a thoughtless concept."
The complex caused concern during construction when sinkholes appeared near the site. Seoul City blamed poor construction of subway line No. 9 for the holes. The lower floors of the building opened earlier this month, but the city says it will continue to monitor safety conditions.
Another mishap that caught attention was when a giant rubber duck brought to Seoul to celebrate the opening of the tower deflated on a nearby lake.
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