[Edaily Reporter Ham Ji-Hyun ] DaewooEngineering&Construction(047040)emphasized, “We have transparently disclosed certain issues and challenges that arose during the verification of the constructability of the offshore PBD (Plastic Board Drain) system and have fully incorporated specific technical improvement measures to overcome them into the basic design report.”

DaewooEngineering&Construction made this statement in a press release on the 7th, saying, “We are following the most advanced and thorough verification process to successfully carry out Korea’s first large-scale offshore soft-ground improvement project.”

This directly refutes allegations that the company had rushed through the approval process despite being aware of technical issues related to the offshore PBD constructability verification. PBD refers to a method of stabilizing soft ground—which cannot support the load of a structure—by driving plastic drainage pipes into it to drain water and consolidate the soil.

The company stated, “The DaewooEngineering&Construction consortium took the lead in conducting a feasibility test for offshore PBD at five offshore locations—a total of 90 boreholes—which correspond to the actual construction sites for the main project,” and “As a result, we confirmed the stability of soft ground improvement for the runway section; however, in the medium sandy soil layer of the hard PBD-improved section—which accounts for 11%—we identified some instances of penetration stoppage and deformation, among other issues requiring improvement.”

Furthermore, the company elaborated, “We did not conceal this data or these issues but included them in detail in the basic design report,” adding, “To address these issues, we developed a ‘Plan to Improve PBD Penetration Force in Intermediate Sandy Soil’—which includes enhancing penetration force by increasing the rigidity of the penetration pipes and improving equipment to reduce penetration resistance—and incorporated it into the basic design.”

He continued, “Constructability verification is an essential data collection process aimed at preventing trial-and-error during the main construction phase,” adding, “Based on the improvements derived from this process, we are currently making thorough preparations for the second round of constructability verification.”

He also emphasized, “The DaewooEngineering&Construction consortium is making every effort to ensure ground stability by applying a level of detailed ground investigation that far surpasses that of the previous HyundaiEngineering&Construction consortium, along with differentiated design methods,” adding, “The process itself—accurately diagnosing issues rather than avoiding them, and addressing them through equipment upgrades and additional verification—is proof of the project’s successful execution.”

He further added, “The Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation and the DaewooEngineering&Construction consortium plan to continue moving forward with the construction of the new airport without delay, based on transparent technical verification and thorough corrective measures.”