[Construction in] "Sweeping Domestic Super-Tall Building Construction... Technology, Experience, and Talent Competitiveness"

Kwon Yong-an, Executive Director at POSCO E&C and Certified Architect
"The Domestic Leader in High-Rise Construction... Equipped with Experience and Technology"
Core In-House Experts and Upskilling System Enhance Competitiveness

Editor's Note'Geonseolin' is an interview series focusing on individuals active in the construction industry. We aim to deliver vivid industry stories by meeting construction professionals who stand out in various fields such as core business and new growth engines of construction companies.

Kwon Yong-an, Executive Director and Architectural Construction Engineer at POSCO E&C, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at Park One in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Busan Haeundae LCT, Seoul Yeouido Park One, Incheon Songdo Northeast Asia Trade Center. These landmarks in each region share a commonality. All are supertall buildings over 300 meters high, constructed by POSCO E&C. POSCO E&C has built the most supertall buildings in Korea. Experience has translated into competitiveness, becoming an opportunity to continuously nurture supertall building specialists.

Kwon Yong-an, Executive Director and Architectural Construction Engineer at POSCO E&C, recently expressed pride in the supertall projects he has undertaken during an interview with Asia Economy held at Park One, stating his commitment to satisfying clients and residents.

Executive Director Kwon said, "We have more specialized talent in supertall buildings compared to other construction companies, proportional to the number of supertall buildings we have built. We are as competitive as any other company in this field. There is a high possibility of redevelopment projects over 50 floors in areas like Apgujeong, and if given the opportunity, we will repay with excellent quality and safety within the construction period."

POSCO E&C operates a 'Core Specialist Talent' system. Covering fields such as low-carbon steel, secondary batteries, special bridges, and supertall architecture, there are a total of 88 specialists. They follow an expert growth path from Expert to Master to Chief Master, and Executive Director Kwon is a supertall building expert who has reached the Chief Master level.

Executive Director Kwon's experience in supertall building construction dates back to the LCT project. He recalled receiving the LCT usage approval from Haeundae District at the end of November 2019, saying, "I cannot express how proud I was. Looking back on the 50 months it took to complete the LCT, which was at the center of controversy, I even shed tears."

LCT ranks 2nd to 4th among the tallest buildings in Korea based on individual towers. Park One is 5th, and Songdo POSCO Tower is 6th. POSCO E&C’s buildings are sweeping the supertall building rankings.

Executive Director Kwon cited experience, talent, and technology as POSCO E&C’s supertall competitiveness. For example, POSCO E&C enhanced concrete pumping capacity through self-produced piping from POSCO. When constructing supertall buildings, concrete must be pumped to the top before it hardens, and the durability of the piping determines success. He said, "We applied steel piping for pumping at LCT. Since it is self-produced, it is lighter and creates domestic demand by replacing imported products. We plan to promote this pumping piping so other companies can also use it."

It is difficult to predict the construction period for supertall buildings. Due to complex factors such as raw material price increases, exchange rates, and oil prices, there have been many cases where projects took a long time even after initial approval. Therefore, Executive Director Kwon emphasized the need for more careful material selection, keeping in mind the possibility of extended construction periods. He explained, "A single supertall project involves costs in the trillions of won. Failure can be a burden to the company, and there are indeed many variables."

He also explained that talent development to secure technological capabilities is being fostered through the Core Specialist Talent Upskilling system. Upskilling means improving proficiency to perform current tasks better or handle more complex roles. Executive Director Kwon said, "For construction companies with engineers, it is very important whether they retain them long-term, invigorate them by assigning roles, and add upskilled technology. It must be voluntary. POSCO E&C actively and organically moves from devising bidding strategies to building supertall buildings well."