As the issue of poor construction has recently emerged due to a series of collapses at construction sites, including the underground parking lot of Geomdan Apartment in Incheon, public concerns about building safety are growing.

Odyssey The Terrace View (The View), the LG Display complex in Wollong-myeon, Paju-si, which was approved for use by Paju-si in December 2016, is suffering recently as poor construction, design supervision, and accounting irregularities.

Odyssey The Terrace View Management Team CEO Taeksang Yoon said “Residents and owners have been filing lawsuits and filing complaints with relevant organizations for several years, but are having difficulty securing proper compensation and safe housing. We need public attention and support.”

 

Violation of the rights of residents and owners due to poor construction and corruptions

The View is an office studio plat with a total of 288 units on 7 floors, including 2 underground floors and 5 above-ground floors, near the LG Display Industrial Complex. 

It is a place in high demand among office workers, but as corruptions such as various rebates, embezzlement of parking lot proceeds, accounting fraud, passing on management fees, reduction of total floor area, and poor construction have come to light, concerns are growing about violations of the rights of residents and owners and housing safety. 

Accordingly, residents and owners are appealing for help by filing complaints with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Tax Service, and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Yoon said “We are filing a civil complaint with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport requesting the cancellation of the use approval granted by Paju City for parts that were not constructed according to the original design drawings, and an extensive investigation and punishment of the relevant public officials and architectural inspectors.”

He added “We have requested a complaint regarding a tax audit from the National Tax Service and the Paju Tax Office. Once the audit begins, it is expected that accounting irregularities will be revealed. In addition, we have filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and an internal investigation order has been issued to the Goyang branch office.”

As Yoon became aware of various corruptions at The View, he took on the role of chairman of the emergency response committee. He was appointed as CEO in February of last year and is working to protect the rights and interests of residents and owners, eradicate corruption, and enhance value.

He said “We don’t even have management fees or long-term repair reserves that serve as capital. “I invested 90 million won of my own money to prevent the risk of bankruptcy. The developer, construction company, parking company, building management company, and management director are all involved, so the corruption is at a serious level.” 

 

Paju City Building Committee recommendation, professional precision safety diagnosis in progress

Yoon said “Due to poor construction, stone dust fell from the ceiling and rebar protruded and rusted. “There is no waterproofing, so rain is leaking down from the rooftop, seeping into the walls, and water is dripping from the ceiling of the parking lot.”

Currently, The View is undergoing a detailed professional safety diagnosis according to the recommendations of the Paju City Building Committee. The diagnosis results are expected to be released around September 20th.

He said “Depending on the results of a detailed professional safety diagnosis, complex problems may arise, such as having to close part of the building and resolve problems caused by poor construction. We have been surviving on income from parking, but with the introduction of free parking lots nearby, we no longer have income. If we add construction costs to repair defects, we face a serious risk of bankruptcy.”

 

Yoon is becoming a social example through volunteer work

Yoon is a person who has been at the forefront of volunteer work. In the past, as a Methodist evangelist, he founded a youth group in the United States and served the Korean community by serving as president of the Youth Christian Association.

Upon returning to Korea, he began volunteering at a hospice, obtained a nursing care worker’s license, and did volunteer work at cancer centers. He also created a rainbow performance troupe that performed for free at nursing homes, held funerals for the elderly living alone, and volunteered as a caregiver for free. Based on this spirit of service, he went out of his way to help the residents of The View who were struggling.

“I have not been able to eat properly since I took over as chairman of the emergency response committee, and I have been working while eating convenience store meals every day. My health has deteriorated significantly due to the stress of the difficult fight. Residents save money and send it to me to buy health food. In the group chat room, residents continue to cheer me on, telling me to get healthy and be strong in this lonely and difficult fight.”

 

We will overcome difficult situations with indomitable will

The management team is working to instill hope in residents through the volunteer work of the ‘Odyssey Performance Troupe.’ They are preparing to establish the Paju Regional Development Committee (tentative), which will join forces with Paju residents to uncover and correct corruption in the Paju region and promote regional development.

Yoon said “Because the lawsuit for refund of the sale price is expected to take 5-6 years, we will make efforts in various ways to inform more people about our situation first and to gain interest and support from government agencies and the public.”

 

Efforts to enhance the value of The View

Since being appointed as CEO, Yoon has worked hard to normalize The View. As a result, he achieved bold reforms, such as establishing a fair management fee charging system. He has secured grounds to reclaim the 2nd basement floor parking lot, which is in dispute over ownership among the 7-floor parking lot, and is preparing litigation procedures for the return of the 2nd basement floor parking lot.

He is also making The View safer for women by replacing about 150 CCTVs with ADT Caps and installing emergency bells. He is also upgrading The View by creating a signboard and a front bus stop, and even creating a shared car system. 

He spared no effort to unite the residents by building a lounge and holding barbecue parties twice a year.

In recognition of his contribution, he stood alongside the winners of the 2023 Korea Future Management Awards in the category of commercial studio flat management, held at the Press Center Seoul on August 28. 

백정준 기자  googies@naver.com