[Power K-Women] Korea's First Female Civil Engineer: "No Entertaining or Deception, Only Competing Through Work"

Son Seong-yeon, CEO of CNC General Construction
From Morning to Night, Wearing a Safety Helmet and Leading the Site
Adhering to Principles of No Entertainment, No Short-Term Trading, No Deception
"Women Must Also Have Skills and Networking"

"Even if I collapse and die working tomorrow, I thought I should do what I love today."

Son Seong-yeon, CEO of CNC General Construction (64), known as the 'first female civil engineer in South Korea,' is a well-known 'workaholic' in the industry. On the 20th, Son visited the Asia Economy headquarters in person and met with reporters in a busy manner after a series of meetings that day. Unlike many CEOs, she said she personally wears a safety helmet and goes out to the construction sites her company manages, inspecting everything from start to finish and directing the site herself.

Son took charge of major social overhead capital (SOC) projects representing South Korea, such as Dongho Bridge and Suyu Subway Station. In 2007, she became the first female entrepreneur to enter the Kaesong Industrial Complex, where she built a corporate support center, hotel, and factories. She cited 'integrity' and 'trustworthiness' as the secrets behind her significant achievements. Her ambition to compete solely through work, without any entertainment or deception, was evident.

- Construction is a field not easy for women to challenge. What led you to enter the construction industry?

△ I knew nothing about construction when I was young. In my senior year of high school, a professor from Myongji University’s civil engineering department called and recommended that I consider majoring in civil engineering. My father met the professor personally and encouraged me, saying it seemed good, so I initially majored in civil engineering without much thought. Later, I naturally got a job at a construction company aligned with my major.

However, after marriage and childbirth, it became difficult to balance work and family. I experienced a literal 'career break' for six years. When I wanted to return to work, I looked around and, when my children were old enough to be independent, I started with part-time jobs and then got employed at a small or medium-sized company. Because of the career gap, large companies did not hire me. While working, I felt the desire to do 'my own thing,' so I started my own business at age 41.

- Reemployment must not have been easy. Was there a secret to overcoming the six-year gap?

△ I never once gave up on the thought of 'I want to work.' My husband was working, so financially we were stable. But the reason I worked was not only economic but also because a great sense of accomplishment was involved. Even when I wasn’t working, I constantly looked for job postings related to my field to reenter the workforce. That much, I loved working.

Sung-Yeon Son, CEO of CNC General Construction. Photo by Dong-Joo Yoon doso7@

- Is there a project that stands out most in your memory?

△ About two years ago, I built a mixed-use residential and commercial building in Jungnang-gu, Seoul. The building was designed with four basement floors, but that year, heavy rain weakened the ground. When the ground weakens, cracks appear in the building. Because it rained every day, cracks began to appear in the surrounding houses. At that time, I felt like a major accident was imminent and even thought, 'I want to die.' Meanwhile, neighbors filed complaints about construction noise, and the Seoul city government ordered a halt to the construction. We were about to finish the project. I immediately went to the district office and explained the situation, insisting, "The construction must not stop." After several appeals, the stop order was withdrawn, and the construction was completed without problems.

About seven years ago, I also remember building the Western Branch of the Prosecutor’s Office on a reclaimed land by the Busan coast. Reclaimed land is made by piling up soil, so when it rains, buildings cannot stand and tend to tilt sideways. The prosecutor’s office had a fixed construction period because prosecutors had to be assigned without fail. But it seemed impossible to finish within that period. To complete the construction on time, I went to the site every day. From 9:30 a.m., I held meetings, gave site instructions, and returned home from Seoul at 11 p.m. My husband, who packed underwear and cosmetics in just a week, cried seeing how hard I was working. Although we suffered a loss of 5 billion won and it was really tough, it remains a rewarding site in my memory.

- Have there been moments of crisis in your life?

△ During the prosecutor’s office construction, an executive came to me and said the losses were too big and suggested it might be more economical to close the company. At that time, we were managing two construction sites and had a loss of 11 billion won that year. I was grateful that he cared about me and the company, but I told him that if the company closed, I wouldn’t be able to endure it. It was like denying everything I had lived for. With the mindset that I could survive somehow, I worked hard afterward and got the company back on track.

- Do you have any life values or principles?

△ I walk the right path and keep my word. I always tell my employees not to stray from the right path, even if it brings great profits to the company. When contracting with the private sector, we often quoted much higher prices than proposed and endured hardships. At those times, I earnestly told my employees, "Even if we don’t win the bid, do not sign the contract" and "Do not entertain clients." In fact, '3 No’s (No entertainment, No short-term deals, No deception)' became our basic management principles.

I also urge them not to end relationships after just one interaction. Work so that the person will call you again. It’s not just about impressing customers but earning their recognition. That’s why walking the right path and keeping trust is the longer-lasting way.

- I heard it’s not easy to avoid sales and entertainment in the construction industry.

△ It was very difficult at first. Nevertheless, I made a resolution from the start. First, I decided not to drink alcohol at all. Second, I avoided evening appointments. You can have conversations without drinking or dinner. We love our work, and this company will last 50 or 100 years, so doing the work well is most important. After completing a site that lost 5 billion won, how do you think the other party perceived our company? It became a company you can absolutely trust.

Sung-Yeon Son, CEO of CNC General Construction. Photo by Dong-Joo Yoon doso7@

- The construction industry has very few women. Did you face difficulties working there?

△ Construction is indeed a male-dominated field. I acknowledge that men are better at some aspects. But things have changed now. Construction requires convergence and fusion, and there are definitely areas where women can excel. In other industries, the proportion of women is increasing, but not in construction. I hope the government fosters policies to ensure a certain percentage of executives are female.

- What would you like to say to the female juniors following you?

△ I always tell juniors to build skills and invest time and energy in networking. You cannot solve all problems alone. Networking is necessary even to seek advice on how to solve problems. Usually, men network well, but women lack in helping or lifting each other. When those around me do well, I do well. Above all, without skills, you cannot succeed. In construction, you must continuously study laws, site techniques, and new technologies. Only then can you lead conversations proactively.

- Did you have a mentor in life?

△ There was no one who paved the way before me. So I often overcame challenges by reading the Bible, praying, or seeking wisdom on my own. When things were really tough, I think I ultimately thought about work. Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and was at death’s door. After the test results came out, I agonized all night and thought about what I loved most. It was work. I decided that even if I collapsed and died working, I had to keep working. After surgery, I was hospitalized for 12 days and then went straight back to work. I was eventually cured, returned to my position, and the company developed even more afterward.

- Do you have any dreams for the future?

△ Both my son and daughter are in construction. One manages, the other designs. My ultimate goal is to collaborate with them on regional development projects. My dream is to build a landmark for CNC. Until then, I will never stop working.

About CEO Son Seong-yeon

After graduating from Myongji University’s Department of Civil Engineering, Son joined Namgwang Construction in 1982. She then worked at construction companies such as Geonhwa Enterprise, Yuseong Construction, and Singyeong Construction, becoming known as South Korea’s first female civil engineer. In April 2000, she founded CNC General Construction and has been managing the company as CEO for over 20 years. In 2007, she became the first female entrepreneur to enter the Kaesong Industrial Complex, completing facilities such as hotels and factories. In 2014, she received the 'Construction Engineer Award' at the Civil Engineering and Architecture Technology Awards in recognition of her contributions to the development of the domestic construction industry. She has also served as chairperson of the Women’s Technical Committee and as a director of the Korean Society of Civil Engineers.