Is there a construction project in Korea that isn’t running rampant with fraud?:
Ahn Byeong-chul has supplied gasoline to construction vehicles at Camp Humphreys for 10 months. But he says a South Korean government contractor owes him nearly $150,000 for his work, and he blames U.S. Forces Korea for his missing paychecks.
“USFK says they came here to protect us. And USFK’s top men are always saying ‘Katchi kapshida’ (We go together),” Ahn said. “But I feel they are going just their own way, and we are left out.”
Ahn is one of 23 South Koreans who gathered Thursday outside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District compound in Seoul to protest what they say is USFK’s mismanagement of its contractors on the Humphreys project. The district awarded the prime contractor, Seohee Construction Co. Ltd. of Seoul, a $29.7 million contract to prepare 203.6 acres outside Humphreys for an expansion of the base.
Seohee then hired a subcontractor, Jinsung Development, to work on the project, and the protesters say Jinsung owes them nearly $750,000. [Stars & Stripes]
First of all why aren’t they protesting outside the corporate offices of Seohee Construction or Jinsung Development who are the companies that ripped them off? I’m not a lawyer, but it would seem to me that if I hired a contractor to add an expansion to my house and the contractor subcontracts a plumber to put in the plumbing and then that contractor screws the plumber out of his money, why would the plumber protest me? The plumber should take the contractor to court to get his money, just like these protesters should take legal measures to get their money from Jinsung Development.
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3:51 pm on March 1st, 2008 1
I guess this was a day the handicap spots on base didn’t have some Boss car parked in it
4:36 pm on March 1st, 2008 2
Ain’t Jinsung the folks that bribed the former FED employee? Crooked through and through.
I also find it amusing that they are protesting there at the old Yongsan site. The 60-year old home of the Army Corps of Engineers is soon to go bye-bye. The MND wants to sell the land, but Seoul National University claim the ROK government stole it from them and they want it back. Maybe the protestors should congregate at the SNU gates for their share as compensation — or at the MND gates for demanding their share of the pie.
12:05 am on March 2nd, 2008 3
This guy is protesting against the US? The US paid the contractor for the fuel. Now the contractor is not paying the sub contractor- Thats how the Koreans steal from each other, whats the problem. Why are they protesting the FED. I can’t understand what these people are doing because I am not stupid. If I were, I could see their point.
1:03 am on March 2nd, 2008 4
well, the subcontractor would just file a mechanics lien on your house. If you wanted the lien to be taken off yor house, then you would either have to pay the subcontractor out of your pocket or put pressure on the contractor to pay the subcontractor. Seems like that is what is going on here.
1:40 am on March 2nd, 2008 5
Sounds like they did not consult the official USFK/FED Bribe Dispersal Table and Guidelines for fiscal year 2009. I can assure you it is all just a misunderstanding due to the Korean business enviorment “special conditions” that we can not understand.
It’ll all blow over after a few rounds of golf. Everyone will be friends again.
2:30 am on March 2nd, 2008 6
…have to agree with theequalizer…
Jinsung is not paying. Seohee has not forced them to pay. USFK has not forced Seohee to force Jinsung to pay.
Social calculus indicates that it is better to protest to USFK… which will draw more media attention. USFK will lean on Seohee which will lean on Jinsung which will pay… problem solved.
Keep in mind that, for the most part, shenanigans in Jinsung and Seohee management are overlooked… or, at least, the Wheels of Justice turn painfully slowly… but if there is a threat to any member of USFK getting bad attention over this, the problem will be solved very, very quickly…
…and you can bet that there are members of USFK, especially FEDCoE that do NOT want more attention than necessary.
2:18 am on March 3rd, 2008 7
[...] the Corps of Engineers Far East District headquarters. USFK is now treating this dispute like I suggested before, as a matter that needs to be addressed through the Korean legal [...]
7:07 am on April 29th, 2008 8
[...] project despite all of the violent protests, delays & even more delays, funding cuts, and corruption; appears to be getting closer to becoming a [...]