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Seoul city says cracks near Lotte tower not dangerous

January 13, 2015

This photo shows a crack discovered on streets last week near Lotte World Tower, a skyscraper in Seoul that will be the tallest building in South Korea when completed. The Seoul municipal government, however, announced on Jan. 14, 2015, that the cracks were not indicative of sinkholes and were safe. (Yonhap file photo)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — A series of cracks and subsidence recently discovered on roads near Lotte World Tower have been found not dangerous, the Seoul municipal government said Wednesday, amid lingering concerns over the skyscraper’s safety.

Last week, city officials said they had detected the cracks and subsidence in three areas near the 123-story tower under construction in southeastern Seoul. The skyscraper’s lower floors opened in October amid public skepticism over its safety.

Wrapping up a week-long inspection, however, officials said experts have found these cracks and subsidence to be “like any other cracks you see on normal streets” and not indicative of sinkholes.

Several road sections affected by subsidence will be inspected further and repaired, they added.

This was the latest in a series of incidents that have sparked public concerns over the tower, which will be the tallest structure in South Korea when completed in 2016.

Last year, reports of sinkholes and the falling water level of a lake nearby spurred questions over the tower’s safety, but authorities have yet to determine a clear link between the facility and either issue.

In December, the aquarium in the lower floors was found to be leaking and a construction worker died while apparently trying to climb a scaffold, an incident over which Lotte Group apologized.