Corruption behind Busan resort fire

[Anchor]

It has been revealed that there was corruption behind the fire at the Banyan Tree Resort in Busan, which claimed the lives of six workers.

The police stated that there were exchanges of bribes and hotel meal vouchers during the process of obtaining usage approval for the resort, which had not actually been completed.

Reporter Choi Wi-ji has the details.

[Report]

The original completion deadline for the Banyan Tree Resort in Busan was November 27 of last year, but the construction progress was at 91%, making it impossible to be completed on time.

Consequently, the construction company and the contractor requested a delay of about 20 days from the main creditors. Then, according to police investigations, the company pressured the supervising company by saying, "There are many supervisors who can stamp the approval even now."

They promised to pay 100 million won to a fire safety staff member of the supervising company in exchange for writing a false report and actually paid only 30 million won.

The police revealed that they also provided over 50 hotel meal vouchers worth 150,000 won each to public officials at the Gijang County Office and fire safety officials.

[Han Dong-hoon/Head of Busan Police Criminal Investigation Unit: "They coerced and pressured the supervising company to create false completion reports and fire construction supervision results as if the construction was completed."]

The architect delegated by Gijang County had reported that there were no issues with the building, without even checking the site, and the Gijang County Office granted usage approval to the resort a day before the completion deadline.

[Gijang County Office public official/voice altered: "If the delegated person who checked the site reports 'no issues,' then the certificate is issued."]

The police believe that the construction company, which borrowed over 300 billion won from the main creditors, committed these acts because failing to meet the completion deadline would result in significant losses.

The police have additionally arrested two more individuals, including the head of the construction company and the fire safety supervisor, and have filed charges against 36 public officials without detention.

This is KBS News, Choi Wi-ji.