Go to contents

Safety concern over import of defective Chinese steel rods

Safety concern over import of defective Chinese steel rods

Posted August. 17, 2016 07:13,   

Updated August. 17, 2016 07:30

한국어

The Dong-A Ilbo revealed Monday that China’s Taigang Steel, whose Korean standard certification had been nullified, exported its steel rods to Korea by acquiring the KS certification from other Chinese company. Taigang Steel saw its KS certification nullified in October last year as quality defects were discovered in a probe by the Korea Standards Association, but the company exported its steel rods to Korea on August 4 this year, after acquiring in June this year the steel rod business from Xinchangda Steel & Iron, which holds the KS certification. A company that had KS certification nullified is not allowed to regain the same certification for one year, but the Chinese company exploited loopholes under Korea’s current industrial standardization act, which allows the company to take over certification from other firm even during the said period.

One of the main reasons for the collapse of Mauna Resort in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province in February 2014, which left 10 people killed and over 100 people injured, was extensive use of substandard steel products imported from China. Some 4,000 – 5,000 tons of steel rods from Taigang Steel and Xinchangda Steel & Iron, which await shipment at Incheon Port, are a volume that can be used to build 800 to 1,000 apartment units with a floor space of 99 sq. meters each. Since there is little change to Taigang Steel’s production workers and facilities since the revocation of its KS certification, chances are high that the latest batch of Chinese steel rod import contains defective products. Who will take responsibility if a building such as a condominium apartment is constructed with substandard Chinese steel rods and ends up collapsing?

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, a state agency under the Trade, Industry and Energy Ministry, had remained inattentive to the issue, saying that the organization was not informed by the Korea Standards Association that manages the KS certification, but started to examine the situation after Dong-A’s reporting on Tuesday. KATS and KSA should prevent domestic distribution of the products manufactured at a plant of Taigang Steel, whose KS certification was revoked, even by inspecting the entire volume of steel rods imported this time. Korea also needs to revise the industrial standardization act to change KS certification transfer process from the current "certification before review" system to a "review before certification" system, and more stringently manage conditions for transfer and acceptance of the KS certification.

There had been also a similar controversy two years ago, in which Chinese steel products including defective steel rods and H-beams were fabricated as Korean products with a Korean trademark on them, and were circulated at Korean construction sites en masse. Despite this, proper corrective measures were not put in place due to passive attitude among civil servants who were overly concerned about trade dispute with China. The pitiful practice of sloppiness in officialdom should also be corrected immediately, given its gross negligent in safety management of imported Chinese steel rods, which can be directly linked to public safety.



권순활논설위원 shkwon@donga.com