Minister Kim Yoon-deok of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 27th, "Recent accidents at construction sites remind us that the lives and safety of the people must take priority over any value. We must strive to reduce serious disasters and eradicate illegal subcontracting and wage arrears to become a workplace trusted by the people."
On this day, Minister Kim attended the '2025 Construction Day' ceremony held under the theme 'Construction, a promise for our dreams and future' at the Construction Center in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and said, "The government will become a solid partner to change the structure of the construction industry and enable a new leap forward."
Minister Kim emphasized, "The construction industry must overcome the difficulties of low growth and recession and leap into the future by expanding public housing supply and introducing smart construction technologies such as AI, making workplaces where young people want to find and stay." He added, "Overseas construction will move beyond simple construction to investment and development projects, and we will spare no support through policy financing and export packages."
The ceremony was hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Construction Organization Association. About 700 attendees were present, including Minister Kim, Maeng Seong-kyu, chairman of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, more than 20 members of the National Assembly, Han Seung-gu, president of the Korea Construction Organization Association, and Yoon Hak-soo, president of the Korea Specialty Contractors Association, as well as government award recipients and their families.
In his opening remarks, President Han stated, "Despite the brilliant history and achievements of the construction industry, the outlook is not very bright. The phenomenon of youth avoidance of the construction industry and the aging of field personnel have led to the unfortunate reality where even advanced skills, which garnered global attention, are disappearing." He continued, "Domestic construction environments threaten the sustainable growth of the industry. While public investment is decreasing and costs are continuously rising due to soaring material prices and increased labor costs, construction costs are not reflecting reality, leading to deteriorating revenue in the construction industry."
He noted, "To restore trust in the construction industry and enable a new leap forward, we must make intensive efforts to eradicate serious disasters." He emphasized, "With proactive investment and interest in construction safety, we must create a new turning point this year to significantly reduce serious disasters."
At the ceremony, Choi Tae-jin, president of Hyun-do General Construction, on behalf of 2 million construction workers, expressed the intention to participate in government policies aimed at eradicating serious disasters and proclaimed a resolution that included: compliance with various safety rules at construction sites, practical use and installation of safety facilities, securing safety investments, and efforts to advance the construction market with guaranteed sufficient time and costs.
Subsequently, 111 construction workers who made significant contributions in various fields of the construction industry received government awards and various commendations. The Gold Tower Industrial Medal was awarded to Kim Sang-soo, chairman of Hanlim Construction, while the Silver Tower Industrial Medal was awarded to Lee Seong-soo, CEO of Shinwoo Construction, and Jeong Dal-hong, chairman of Seongbo Engineering. The Bronze Tower Industrial Medal was awarded to Lee Yong-ho, CEO of Shinseong Construction, Jang Se-hyun, CEO of Dongguk Construction, and Lee Seon-gu, CEO of Daehung Construction.
Im Geun-hong, CEO of Yurim Construction, and two others received industrial decorations, while Hong Jin-young, CEO of Taebaek Development, and five others received presidential commendations, and Lee Hoon-gu, CEO of Shin-do General Construction, and five others received prime ministerial commendations.