Gadeokdo airport project faces dispute over soft-ground method verification
In short
Korea Economic Daily reported that the Daewoo E&C consortium's core reclamation method verification for the Gadeokdo New Airport site works had effectively failed, and that the Ministry of Land approved the design anyway, raising poor-construction and safety concerns. The consortium said problems found in offshore PBD (prefabricated vertical drain) verification were already reflected in the basic design report it submitted on September 7 and that a second verification is being prepared. The Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation said the soft-ground improvement method was judged suitable after reinforcement.
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Korea Economic Daily reported on October 6 that verification of the core reclamation method for the Gadeokdo New Airport site works, led by a Daewoo E&C consortium, had effectively failed, and that the Ministry of Land approved the design anyway. The paper said concerns were spreading about poor construction and safety, with groundbreaking then about a month away, and put the project at 10 trillion won. [ 1 ]
The consortium responded in a statement on October 7. It said problems and tasks identified during constructability verification of offshore prefabricated vertical drains (PBD) had been disclosed transparently and that specific technical improvements were fully included in the basic design report submitted on September 7 to the Public Procurement Service and the client. PBD, it said, involves inserting plastic drains into soft ground that cannot bear a structure's load so that water is drawn out and the ground is consolidated. According to the consortium, some media reported that July trial work found drains deformed or not penetrating in 11% of the total volume, and that the ministry passed the design anyway, raising the possibility of safety problems if work proceeded. [ 3 ]
The consortium said it conducted PBD constructability verification from July 23 to August 16 at five offshore sites, covering 90 holes at the locations of the main works, and confirmed constructability in the general improvement sections that make up 89% of offshore PBD volume. Those general sections include the runway area, so stability of soft-ground improvement there was also confirmed, it said. It described verification as essential data collection to prevent trial and error in the main works and said a second constructability verification is now being prepared thoroughly. The consortium also said it applied more precise ground surveys and differentiated design methods than the previous Hyundai E&C consortium, and that diagnosing problems and addressing them through equipment upgrades and additional verification is itself evidence of sound project execution. [ 3 ]
Newsis headlined the builder's position that the basic design was not rushed and that it was preparing a second verification. Seoul Shinmun reported that Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation said the soft-ground improvement method was judged suitable after reinforcement. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The dispute concerns the early construction stage of a project Korea Economic Daily valued at 10 trillion won, with groundbreaking then about a month away, so the disagreement over the design's verification could affect confidence in the works and the project's schedule. It also pits the builder's technical account against reporting that a regulator approved the design despite a failed verification, a question the documents leave unresolved.
Key facts
- Gadeokdo New Airport's site preparation work is being carried out by a Daewoo E&C consortium, and Korea Economic Daily put the project at 10 trillion won. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported that the consortium's core reclamation method verification had effectively failed and that the Ministry of Land approved the design, spreading concerns about poor construction and safety. [ 1 ]
- According to the consortium, some media reported that July trial work on offshore PBD found drains deformed or not penetrating in 11% of the volume, and that the ministry passed the design anyway. [ 3 ]
- The consortium said it ran PBD constructability verification from July 23 to August 16 at five offshore sites and 90 holes, confirming constructability in the general improvement sections that account for 89% of offshore PBD volume. [ 3 ]
- The consortium said it submitted improvement measures in its basic design report to the Public Procurement Service and the client on September 7, and that a second constructability verification is being prepared. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation said the soft-ground improvement method was judged suitable after reinforcement. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A Daewoo E&C consortium is carrying out the Gadeokdo New Airport site preparation works. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The consortium says it is preparing a second round of constructability verification. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Criticism has been raised that the basic design was passed despite insufficient verification of the core construction method. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Ministry of Land approved the basic design despite the verification problem. Only Korea Economic Daily states the approval directly; the consortium's statement refers to the ministry passing the design as what some media reported, so the approval is not independently confirmed in the documents.
- The scale and severity of the PBD problem. Korea Economic Daily says verification effectively failed, while the consortium says constructability was confirmed in 89% of the volume and the remaining issues were addressed; the documents give no independent measurement.
- Whether the scheduled groundbreaking will proceed and on what timing. Korea Economic Daily says groundbreaking was about a month away at the time of its report, and no document gives a decision on any change.
- Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation said the soft-ground improvement method was judged suitable after reinforcement. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- July 23 to August 16: the Daewoo consortium carried out PBD constructability verification at five offshore locations, covering 90 holes. [ 3 ]
- September 7: the consortium submitted a basic design report containing improvement measures for the PBD problems to the Public Procurement Service and the client. [ 3 ]
- October 6: Korea Economic Daily reported that the core reclamation method verification had effectively failed and that the Ministry of Land approved the design. [ 1 ]
- October 7: Newsis reported that Daewoo E&C said the basic design was not rushed and that it was preparing a second verification. [ 2 ]
- October 7: the consortium issued a statement saying improvements were already reflected in the basic design. [ 3 ]
- October 7: Seoul Shinmun reported the airport construction corporation's position that the soft-ground improvement method was judged suitable after reinforcement. [ 4 ]