The Yeongsan River Project Office of the Korea Rural Community Corporation is facing controversy over the construction status of concrete structures in the Yeongam flood control project, as conflicting explanations regarding 'construction tolerances' have emerged from the project office and the head office's audit department.
According to the Korea Rural Community Corporation, this project involves the renovation of a national flood control embankment in Samho-eup, Yeongam County, and Sanim-myeon, Haenam County. The Yeongsan River Project Office is responsible for facility management and project execution. The total project cost is 8.92 billion won, with a timeline from 2023 to 2026.
The controversy arose from the construction status of the embankment's concrete structures, particularly the foundation and top parapet. 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 top 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," and added that there were no design changes, indicating that variations beyond the tolerance range are acceptable.
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 explanations regarding construction tolerances between the project office and the head office's audit department.
Experts have emphasized the need for objective verification comparing the design documents with actual construction values.
Jung Yoon-ki, a director at the Korea Construction Research Institute, remarked, "The appropriateness of construction for structures like embankments cannot be judged solely by visual inspection." He stressed the importance of confirming the planned height, width, and thickness as defined in the design documents and specifications, and comparing these with actual construction measurements.
He further explained, "While it cannot be immediately concluded that construction exceeding the design specifications is unsuitable, if the construction exceeds the allowable range defined in the design documents and specifications, a separate suitability review is necessary."
Jung also emphasized that if construction was carried out without design changes, it must first be confirmed whether it was executed according to the original design documents. He noted that height differences and inconsistencies in the foundation could arise 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 project cost, 531.79 million won is allocated for construction supervision, and 229.45 million won for surveying and design.
Thus, the core of this controversy lies not in whether the embankment railing appears to 'dance' visually, but rather in whether the planned height and actual construction height, as well as the design cross-section and actual width and thickness, align, and if there are discrepancies, whether they fall within the allowable tolerance range defined in the specifications.
Ultimately, the project office's assertion that there are 'no issues' must also be objectively verified through comparisons with design drawings, on-site measurement results, and supervision and inspection data.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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