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Lotte rebuts safety claims over sinkholes

January 8, 2015

(NEWSis)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — Lotte Engineering & Construction Co., the builder of a 123-story skyscraper whose safety has raised concerns, said Thursday the structure is not responsible for signs of a nearby sinkhole found by the Seoul city government.

“There were no sinkholes found (according to Lotte’s safety inspections of the area),” Lotte E&C said through a press release. “It was confirmed that the roads look like they have sunk because a part of the lanes has been paved temporarily with deck panels to set up a bus stop.”

The builder’s statement came hours after local media outlets reported that the Seoul city government had detected cracks and sinkholes in three areas near Jamsil Station in southern Seoul where Lotte World Tower, the high-rise shopping mall being built by retail giant Lotte Group, is located.

“As for the cracks next to the road in question, they are a result of natural deterioration, and that part will be paved with deck panels later on,” Lotte E&C said. The two other areas of concern are not under Lotte’s jurisdiction, it said.

Lotte has faced a series of safety issues in building the tallest structure in South Korea, as several cracks and sinkholes were found in the vicinity since construction began.

A decrease in the water level of Seokchon Lake adjacent to the shopping mall has also spurred questions about safety. So far, no definitive link has been found between the high-rise project and either of the issues.

On Monday, the city of Seoul warned that any occurrence of additional safety-related accidents will lead to the shutdown of the new skyscraper, citing past incidents including the death of a worker at the construction site in December as well as a leak of aquarium water inside the building.