Daewoo Engineering & Construction CEO Kim Bo-hyun and company executives visited the planned construction site for the new Gadeokdo Airport to inspect conditions and discuss cooperation with the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation.
According to Daewoo E&C on the 18th, the visit was conducted to directly assess the site's topographical characteristics and the environment of the planned maritime reclamation area ahead of full-scale construction, as the company is the preliminary candidate for a private contract. Key executives including CEO Kim and Shim Cheol-jin, head of the civil engineering division, attended the site visit.
CEO Kim visited major points including Daehang Observatory, Oeyangpo Port, Saebaji Port, and Yeondaebong Peak to inspect the terrain and surrounding environment of the planned airport site and nearby waters, receiving detailed reports from on-site personnel.
"The Gadeokdo New Airport project is a highly challenging construction requiring simultaneous maritime reclamation and large-scale soft ground treatment," CEO Kim said. "We must concentrate Daewoo E&C's differentiated construction methods and technical capabilities from the design stage."
He added: "Considering the symbolic importance of this national project, please prioritize safety above all and ensure thorough preparation from the project's early stages to meet the construction schedule."
Following the site inspection, CEO Kim visited the headquarters of the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation in Gangseo-gu, Busan, where he held his first meeting with Chairman Lee Yun-sang to share updates on project progress and discuss cooperation plans.
Both parties exchanged views on ensuring safety, thorough process management, and cooperative measures with local communities for the successful implementation of this national project. They particularly agreed on the need for rigorous technical verification and systematic process management from the design stage, given the nature of construction involving simultaneous maritime reclamation and soft ground treatment.
"As this is a national project worth 10.7 trillion won in total project costs, swift administrative support from the government and the project owner is crucial for timely completion," CEO Kim said during the meeting. "I ask for the corporation's active support to ensure smooth progress on consultations with local communities and related agencies, permits, and compensation procedures."
The Gadeokdo New Airport site preparation work is a major national project that will create airport land through the largest-ever maritime reclamation. Following a site briefing on the 9th, basic design has officially commenced, with groundbreaking for priority construction sections expected by year-end after approximately six months of design work.
Daewoo E&C plans to strengthen construction method verification and technical review in cooperation with consortium partners, deploying specialized personnel and equipment to execute the project reliably. The company has approximately 1,000 civil engineering technicians and is currently conducting reviews of core technologies including soft ground stabilization methods with external experts.
