What Is This 'Waterfall Edition' in a New Apartment… Builder's Absurd Excuse: 'We're Being Sued'

[Anchor | Kim Jong-won: I am catching this water falling from the ceiling and washing my hair right now with the shampoo and soap I squeezed out earlier. In short, I am going to a spot in the underground parking lot where a waterfall-like leak is happening and taking a shower.]

There is growing controversy as underground parking lot leaks and various defects have persisted for nearly four years at a newly built apartment complex in Daegu.

Residents began moving into this apartment complex in 2022, but leaks occurred just one year after move-in.

[Resident / Informant: One day, I went to the parking lot and heard the sound of water. When I checked what it was, water was pouring down entirely like a waterfall. We, the residents, felt this was a place where living was simply impossible. Out of utter frustration, to make a point of protest, I showed that water was falling so heavily there that one could take a shower. It was done so that the construction company would realize the seriousness.]

However, intermittent leaks have continued to this day, 3 years and 8 months later.

[Ahn Hyung-jun, Former Dean of College of Architecture, Konkuk University: Especially for issues like water leaks, defect repairs are normally all completed within a year. The fact that they still cannot stop such leaks in the fourth year causes considerable inconvenience to the residents, and one cannot help but question the competence level of the construction company regarding its inability to stop the leaks.]

Leaks are not the only thing tormenting the residents.

Dirt, stones, and boards that were permitted to be brought in as defect repair materials, as well as garbage, have been left unattended in the parking lot for years.

[Resident: There is also the risk that if a fire breaks out, it could spread. It is so upsetting. I want to move out, but my house simply will not sell.]

Even though the district office sent official documents demanding the construction company carry out defect repairs and remove the stored materials, the situation has not improved.

The construction company maintains that because the related costs are tied up in a lawsuit, it has no obligation to process them immediately.

[Construction Company Official: These are materials necessary for defect repairs. The apartment resident representatives recently filed a lawsuit. The costs related to waste disposal are also all calculated into the litigation expenses. If that is the case, doesn't it mean our side no longer has the obligation to handle what you claim to be waste? Since we would have to take responsibility if we lose the lawsuit, there is no obligation at present.]

However, experts pointed out that filing a lawsuit does not make obligations disappear, and that the construction company appears to be aiming for a victory or looking for an excuse to delay implementation.

Netizens who came across this reacted with comments such as, "Isn't this at a level where it needs to be completely rebuilt?" and "Reveal the name of the construction company."

(Planned by: Lee Se-young | Video Editing: Lee Yu-jin | Video Source: News Hunters | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.