"Moved Even a Single Tile Digitally"…Korea Airports Corporation's 'Digital Twin'

Acquisition of Patents and International Standards Related to BIM Projects
Applicable to Airport Construction and Other Fields
Considering Exports... Targeting the 'Blue Ocean' Market

Domestic Passenger Terminal at Gimpo Airport implemented through KAC-BIM (Provided by Korea Airports Corporation)

Korea Airports Corporation is set to fully advance its Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities, enabling the digital replication and management of every detail of real-world buildings, down to a single pillar or tile. The corporation has secured world-class technology, obtained international standard certifications, and acquired patents, preparing for commercialization.

On the 12th, Korea Airports Corporation held a press briefing to introduce this BIM project. Moon Soon-bae, Team Leader of the New Airport Promotion Division at Korea Airports Corporation, emphasized, "Our KAC-BIM is on a completely different level from existing BIMs. It does not merely replicate buildings digitally but objectifies and implements every component such as pillars and windows." This approach facilitates smooth processes from design and construction to maintenance and operation.

For example, applying BIM from the design phase can reduce trial and error, potentially cutting construction time and costs by up to 30%, according to research. In operations, it can enhance safety. For instance, when visibility of the runway is poor due to bad weather, air traffic controllers can display a digital runway overlay on their actual view, similar to a car’s Head-Up Display (HUD), to guide aircraft. Maintenance is also simplified; when internal piping is repaired, repair and replacement information can be recorded on the BIM model, creating a kind of archive.

Moon defined the corporation’s KAC-BIM as a BIM-based integrated information platform managed through digital twin technology, covering not only airport design and construction but also post-completion operation, maintenance, and repair. It is described as the world’s first technology connecting three-dimensional information models of people and objects with airport operation data.

The corporation has already established a digital twin-based integrated management system for airport facilities nationwide, starting with Gimpo Airport. This system manages aircraft takeoffs and landings, passenger safety and security, and aircraft noise control. From the construction phase of Ulleung Airport, scheduled to open in 2026, KAC-BIM was applied to preemptively eliminate numerous design errors.

This year, having been selected as the BIM service outsourcing agency for the construction of the new Gadeokdo Airport, the corporation plans to focus on introducing BIM technology, building digital twin systems, providing technical support, and conducting training until the airport’s opening in 2030.

There is also strong demand beyond airports, as the technology can be applied to railways, bridges, and more. Furthermore, exporting this platform overseas is under consideration. The corporation has preemptively registered patents and obtained international standard certifications with this in mind. In October 2020, it became the first in the world to acquire ISO 19650 certification for BIM information management in the airport sector. At the end of last month, it also secured a patent for a "digital twin-based integrated facility management method and device," which significantly improves the precision of digital twin models and drastically reduces errors caused by traditional manual review methods.

Moon stated, "While airports such as China’s Daxing Airport and France’s Charles de Gaulle Airport have applied BIM, they have not ventured into commercializing it for external sales. Since only KAC-BIM has registered international standard certifications and patents, now is the perfect time to target this blue ocean market."

Looking ahead, the corporation plans to apply KAC-BIM to Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and promote a 'Smart Plus Building' specialized for UAM functions. Lee Jung-gi, Acting President of Korea Airports Corporation, said, "Based on core technology that can apply BIM at every stage of airport construction, we will successfully support the construction of Gadeokdo New Airport and contribute to strengthening national competitiveness."