Abandoned Road Construction... Unattended Structures Pose Threats to Drivers

Hampyeong~Haebo Road Facility Improvement Project Halted Due to Contractor's Financial Difficulties
Recently Entered Court Receivership... Construction Suspended Without Completion
Remaining Structures Like H-Beams Left Near Roadway Pose Safety

One of the steel H-beams installed as a falling object prevention facility in the 'Hampyeong~Haebo Road Improvement Project' section remains abandoned without being removed due to the suspension of construction. Photo by Shim Jinseok

A national highway improvement project site in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, has been left abandoned as an eyesore following the bankruptcy of the construction company, turning into a space that poses various dangers. In particular, several facilities that were not removed during the construction process remain in place, raising concerns about safety issues such as traffic accidents. Although local residents have filed multiple complaints, these have been thoroughly ignored by the relevant agencies that commissioned the project.

According to Hampyeong County and the Iksan Regional Land Management Office (hereinafter referred to as Iksan Office) on October 2, the Iksan Office, as the commissioning body, signed a construction contract with A Construction Company and others for the purpose of national highway maintenance and road environment improvement, and officially launched the 'Hampyeong~Haebo Road Facility Improvement Project' in April 2019. The main focus of the project was to improve and reinforce road structures, including four bridges and 26 at-grade intersections, along the Hampyeong Daedong (Gangun-ri) to Haebo (Daechang-ri) section (L=9.98 km, B=11.5 m, two lanes).

According to the original plan, the project was scheduled to be completed in April this year after its initial groundbreaking.

In a section where the 'Hampyeong~Haebo Road Facility Improvement Project' was carried out, gravel and stones that were not properly organized are tangled together. Photo provided by reader

The problem is that this construction site has been at a standstill for nearly a year, from last year through this year. A Construction Company, which was in charge of the project, struggled with financial difficulties amid a downturn in the construction market and failed to properly carry out the work, eventually entering court receivership.

As a result, the originally scheduled completion date has been postponed for several months. It has been confirmed that the Iksan Office terminated the construction contract with the company on September 3.

With the site effectively left ownerless, various side effects have been emerging.

Steel structures (H-beams) about 5 to 7 meters high, installed as falling object prevention measures during blasting work for road leveling, remain unremoved and abandoned along approximately 2 to 3 kilometers of the national highway. Waste materials such as stones, soil, and gravel, believed to have been generated during the construction process, are also scattered around the site without proper disposal.

In particular, in road sections with many variables such as curves, and within the construction site itself, the distance to remaining structures is only about 1 to 2 meters, yet there are almost no 'warning signs' or other indicators to alert people to these dangers.

The structure is intimidating enough for drivers on the road. The safety of residents in nearby villages, where mostly elderly people live, is also not guaranteed. Although not directly related to the construction, Hampyeong County, the local government with jurisdiction, has been receiving frequent complaints related to road issues.

In fact, a resident living near the construction site said, "I've seen countless cases where drivers suddenly slam on the brakes or drastically reduce their speed," adding, "It's almost strange that accidents haven't happened. Residents are expressing their anxiety."

However, there is no immediate solution. Hampyeong County contacted the Iksan Office to seek a solution to the complaints, but reportedly received only a vague response: "We are in the process of signing a contract with a new company in June next year."

If this response is accurate, it means that drivers and local residents will have to endure various risks for several more months until a new construction company is selected.

Some have pointed out that the bankrupt prime contractor secured funds for the removal of structures such as H-beams installed during construction, but failed to properly carry out the removal.

Criticism is mounting that this situation is the result of a complete lack of oversight by the commissioning agency, combined with a disregard for safety. With the Chuseok holiday period, which lasts up to 10 days this year, there are heightened safety concerns for visitors and returning residents traveling to Hampyeong.

Regarding this issue, an official from the Iksan Office stated, "The steel H-beams and other structures installed in the construction section are deeply embedded in the ground, making immediate removal difficult. Instead, we plan to install various safety equipment and devices around the road. To resume construction, we need to follow procedures to select a new company, which will take some time. We are trying to proceed as quickly as possible."