[Anchor]
Two three-section articulated buses, for which the city of Daejeon paid an advance of 7.3 billion won, failed to arrive in Korea by the delivery deadline yesterday (June 30). In addition to the setback caused by the failed delivery, it has been revealed that the vehicles exceed the weight limits set by current law, fueling controversy over their legality. Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jung, who took office today, has pledged a rigorous review of the entire project immediately.
TJB reporter Jeon Yu-jin reports.
[Reporter]
The project to introduce three-section articulated buses in Daejeon remained at a standstill even after the final delivery deadline yesterday.
Although the city paid 7.3 billion won, or 80 percent of the total contract price, as an advance payment, the vehicles could not be brought in from the factory in China due to the financial deterioration of the import agency, Company A.
Ultimately, two of the three contracted buses failed to arrive in the country by the deadline.
Instead of terminating the contract immediately, the city of Daejeon decided to impose a late penalty of approximately 5 million won per day and grant a one-month grace period.
This follows a promise from Company A that it would bring the vehicles in by the end of July, even if it meant selling off assets.
However, regardless of whether the vehicles are introduced, a critical legal flaw has emerged, intensifying the controversy.
The three-section articulated buses are estimated to have a total weight of 54 tons when fully loaded with passengers, which is 14 tons over the 40-ton limit stipulated by current road laws.
While the city of Daejeon has previously promoted the project by claiming there were no issues due to regulatory exemptions, it turns out that only length restrictions were waived, while weight exemptions were not included.
The city of Daejeon maintains that the vehicles can operate through its own internal authorization before official service begins, but it is difficult to avoid controversy over whether there is sufficient legal basis and whether safety is compromised.
Consequently, the transition committee for the 9th popularly elected Daejeon mayor has designated this as a problematic project with serious flaws, warning that it will consider requesting an audit from the Board of Audit and Inspection and, if necessary, a criminal investigation.
[Heo Tae-jung / Mayor of Daejeon: I will not overlook the issues raised by the transition committee. I will request audits where necessary, address matters in the city council, and ensure that we uncover the facts one by one without missing anything.]
Although the project has not been immediately suspended, it faces a major turning point during this grace period, not only regarding the introduction of the vehicles but also the viability of the project itself.
The three-section articulated bus project has bought itself one more month of time.
However, with the start of the 9th local administration signaling strong verification and audits, that time is expected to be the calm before the storm.
(Video by Kim Sung-soo, TJB)
Reported by Jeon Yu-jin, TJB
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