Members of the safety and environment subcommittee of the G3 Seoul Plan Planning Committee conduct a site visit. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Members of the safety and environment subcommittee of the G3 Seoul Plan Planning Committee conduct a site visit. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the safety and environment subcommittee of the ninth-term G3 Seoul Plan Planning Committee has conducted its first on-site inspection to assess compliance with a mandatory video documentation system at private construction sites.

The subcommittee visited two sites in Jung-gu on June 29 — the Seoul Creative Industry Hub, a public construction project, and the Seoul Station North transit-oriented development, a private project — to review video record-keeping practices and gather feedback from site workers. The inspection aimed to assess the operational status of video documentation at private construction sites, a key campaign pledge of the ninth term, and to identify field-level improvements needed to embed the system more firmly.

Earlier that day, the G3 Seoul Plan's future economy subcommittee made its own first site visit, touring the sports medicine center at Korea University Anam Hospital to observe rehabilitation robot and AI care service operations.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government introduced the video documentation system in September 2023 — the first of its kind in the country — to prevent shoddy construction and improve building safety. The system requires contractors to film and archive key construction processes that are difficult to verify after completion, such as rebar placement and concrete pouring. It has applied to all buildings subject to construction permits since September 2023, and as of June the compliance rate stands at about 92 percent.

During the visit, committee members reviewed video footage and record-keeping for critical structural processes — including rebar placement, concrete pouring and formwork shoring installation — and heard from contractors and supervisors about difficulties in implementing the system and suggestions for improvement.

Those on the ground said they recognized the need for the video documentation system but noted that smaller construction sites face challenges complying due to filming and editing costs and a shortage of personnel.

In response, the city plans to develop improvements that reduce the burden on sites while strengthening the system's effectiveness. It intends to manage filming plans systematically from the construction notification stage and will pursue amendments to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's building ordinance to establish a firmer institutional basis for video documentation and cost support.

In addition, the city will continue working with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to have video documentation requirements and the submission of filming plans incorporated into the Building Act for all permit-required structures.

Jang Gyeong-ho, chair of the safety and environment subcommittee, said video documentation is "an important system that records key construction processes to prevent shoddy work and improve building safety." He added that the city would make active use of tailored manuals to help those on site understand and faithfully implement the system, and would incorporate the feedback received into future improvements "to create a construction environment where citizens can feel safe."


ikson@heraldcorp.com