Hyundai Engineering & Construction is facing growing scrutiny after missing reinforcing steel bars were discovered at the construction site of the GTX-A Samsung Station section, raising concerns over structural safety and project oversight in one of South Korea’s largest underground transportation developments.
The issue was identified at Section 3 of the Yeongdong-daero underground complex development project in Seoul’s Gangnam district. The site is a major transportation hub designed to integrate GTX-A and GTX-C lines with subway and bus transfer facilities. The total project cost is estimated at approximately 1.7 trillion won.
At the center of the controversy is the omission of reinforcing bars inside underground support columns on the fifth basement level. According to industry sources, construction plans required two main rebars to be installed in each column, but only one was reportedly placed during construction.
The problem was found in 80 structural columns, with approximately 2,500 rebars missing in total, equivalent to around 178 tons of steel.
Hyundai E&C said it discovered the issue during an internal quality inspection and voluntarily reported it to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The company explained that the error stemmed from a misinterpretation of structural design drawings during the construction process.
Main rebars play a critical role in supporting the load-bearing capacity of large underground structures. In projects such as GTX stations, they are also essential for ensuring seismic resistance and long-term structural stability. Industry experts note that any shortage in reinforcement materials requires comprehensive safety verification.
To address the issue, Hyundai E&C proposed a reinforcement method that involves wrapping the affected columns with thick steel plates and welding them into place. Seoul city officials stated that the reinforced structure is expected to meet the original safety standards. The repair cost, estimated at around 3 billion won, will reportedly be fully covered by Hyundai E&C.
The incident is also expected to affect the operational schedule of the GTX-A Samsung Station section. The government had planned to gradually connect the currently separated GTX-A routes, but additional inspections and structural reviews could lead to delays or schedule adjustments.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has launched an audit into the matter, focusing on whether reporting procedures were delayed and whether there were failures in supervision during the design, construction, and inspection stages.
Industry observers say the controversy could lead to broader discussions about safety management standards in large-scale public infrastructure projects, particularly as concerns over construction quality continue to grow in South Korea’s building sector.
