The Yeongsan River Project Office of the Korea Rural Community Corporation is facing controversy over the construction status of the Yeongam flood barrier renovation project, particularly regarding the 'construction tolerance.' Conflicting explanations from the project office and the head office's audit department have intensified the debate.
According to the Korea Rural Community Corporation, this project involves the renovation of the national flood barrier in the areas of Samho-eup in Yeongam County and Sanim-myeon in Haenam County. The project manager is the Yeongsan River Project Office, with a total budget of 8.92 billion won and a timeline from 2023 to 2026.
The controversy arose from the construction status of the concrete structures, including the foundation and top parapet of the flood barrier. Observations at the site revealed that the height of the foundation, which was supposed to replace the existing structure, was inconsistent, and some sections showed visible irregularities in concrete thickness and alignment.
A construction supervisor previously stated, "We constructed according to the design height from the foundation." Park Hyung-soo, the director of the Yeongsan River Project Office, also noted, "The top surface does not appear to have any significant issues," adding that "there were no design changes, and it is acceptable to construct wider or taller than the tolerance range."
In contrast, an official from the head office's audit department stated, "Construction within the tolerance range is acceptable, but exceeding that range is not permitted." This indicates a discrepancy in the explanations regarding construction tolerances between the project office and the audit department.
Experts emphasize the need for objective verification comparing the design documents with the actual construction values. Jeong Yoon-ki, a director at the Korea Construction Research Institute, remarked, "The adequacy of construction for structures like flood barriers cannot be judged solely by visual inspection. We must confirm the planned height, width, and thickness as defined in the design documents and specifications, and then compare them with the actual construction measurements."
He further explained, "Just because the construction is larger or taller than the design does not automatically mean it is unsuitable. However, if it exceeds the allowable range defined in the design documents and specifications, a separate suitability review is necessary."
Jeong also stressed that if construction was carried out without design changes, it must first be confirmed whether it was done according to the original design documents. He noted that height differences and inconsistencies in the foundation could occur during the demolition of existing structures, but this does not automatically justify construction that exceeds the design documents and tolerances.
The Korea Rural Community Corporation's project data indicates that out of the total budget, 531.779 million won is allocated for construction supervision, and 229.451 million won is for surveying and design.
Thus, the core of this controversy is not whether the flood barrier railing appears to be 'wavy' but whether the construction aligns with the planned height and actual construction height, as well as whether the design cross-section matches the actual width and thickness. If there are discrepancies, it must be determined whether they fall within the allowable tolerance range specified in the documents.
Ultimately, the project office's assertion that there are 'no issues' must be objectively verified through the design drawings, on-site measurements, and supervision and inspection data.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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