Corruption Uncovered in Banyan Tree Hotel Fire Investigation in Busan
- Chaerin Lee
- Jul 1
- 1 min read
July 1, 2025
Chaerin Lee
A fire at the Banyan Tree Hotel construction site in Gijang-gun, Busan, on February 14, 2025, left six workers dead and 36 others injured. As the investigation moved forward, police found signs of corruption, including bribes exchanged to push through building approvals that should not have been granted.
The developer reportedly offered tens of millions of won in bribes, including expensive hotel meal vouchers, to employees of an inspection firm, local government officials from Gijang County, and members of the fire department. In addition, investigators found a written agreement—referred to as a “bribery confirmation document”—promising several billion won in exchange for a fire inspection report, despite the building not having completed its fire safety installations.
A police spokesperson explained that if the hotel failed to receive use approval by December 2024, the construction company would be liable for over 200 billion won in debt. To avoid this, the developer allegedly bribed supervisors to accelerate the approval process even though construction had not been completed. Police also found illegal activity during the approval phase. A certified architect, commissioned by the local government to conduct an on-site inspection, submitted documents stating there were no issues without visiting the site. The architect reportedly received at least eight hotel meal vouchers worth 150,000 won each.
Police are currently investigating 27 individuals, including senior officials from Gijang County and the fire department. All suspects have denied the allegations.
