Seoul City suspends approval for Lotte skyscraper
By Digital Content

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- The city government of Seoul said Wednesday that it will allow a panel of citizens to inspect the safety of retail giant Lotte Group's new skyscraper before giving the final nod to the group's plan to open the lower part of the building.

Lotte had originally sought to open to the public the completed lower floors of the 123-story high-rise being built in the southeastern part of the capital by April. But the city government previously nixed the plan, citing safety concerns as well as traffic congestion.

Lotte Group recently submitted another request for permission from the city government along with measures to allay such traffic and safety worries.

Responding to the request, Seoul said it has decided the skyscraper is now fit to open to the public but it will first bring in a group of citizens, experts and journalists to the building to conduct a safety inspection before giving final approval.

The city said the inspection plan is aimed at allaying safety concerns over the skyscraper among some citizens.

Lotte Group has expressed its willingness to undergo the inspection as early as this weekend.

"We will order Lotte Group to amend any problems that may be found in the inspection period and the city will make a final decision after reviewing the result," a city government official noted.

After years of controversy, Lotte Group got the nod in 2010 to build the 555-meter-high building just across from its decades-old shopping and amusement complex. If completed as planned in 2016, it will be the tallest building in South Korea.

Seoul City also said that during the inspection period, it also plans to conduct emergency evacuation drills inside the high-rise as well as monitoring of traffic conditions around the building. (Yonhap)

-- TNA 2014-09-03

It's a beautiful building and I am looking forward to its opening

If this is it, it sticks out like a foreskin in a jewish nudist camp.

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If this is it, it sticks out like a foreskin in a jewish nudist camp.

You sound like you have personal and possibly disappointing experiences with your outside activities.

So building safety is now decided by popular vote of lay people? And quite late at that. I'm looking at it now, fortunately it'll not block my sunrise. A visit to the observation deck will be in order when finished, a shame that the Seoul skyline is so unattractive.

So building safety is now decided by popular vote of lay people? And quite late at that. I'm looking at it now, fortunately it'll not block my sunrise. A visit to the observation deck will be in order when finished, a shame that the Seoul skyline is so unattractive.

Perhaps you can provide an up to date pic?

If this is it, it sticks out like a foreskin in a jewish nudist camp.

It looks like much more than just the foreskin.

If this is it, it sticks out like a foreskin in a jewish nudist camp.

It looks like much more than just the foreskin.

Serious compensation issues!

So building safety is now decided by popular vote of lay people? And quite late at that. I'm looking at it now, fortunately it'll not block my sunrise. A visit to the observation deck will be in order when finished, a shame that the Seoul skyline is so unattractive.

Perhaps you can provide an up to date pic?

If I get a little closer I'll snap a few pictures. The construction is actually illuminated at night, but using my Samsung for a decent shot would be hopeless.