Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Doosan Engineering & Construction Co., and others — one ordering agency and five contractors — received a "very excellent" rating in the safety management level evaluation selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 6th released the results of the "2025 safety management level evaluation" for participants in public construction projects (ordering agencies, contractors, and construction project management service providers).
The safety management level evaluation has been conducted since 2017 under Article 62, Paragraph 14 of the Construction Technology Promotion Act to enhance the voluntary safety management activities of construction project participants. Since 2019, the evaluation results have been disclosed externally. The evaluation targets participants in public construction projects with a total project cost of 20 billion won or more (ordering agencies, contractors, and construction project management service providers that have construction sites accounting for 20% or more of the project duration).
The evaluation was conducted by the entrusted agency, Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety (KALIS). KALIS evaluated 153 detailed indicators — including ▲ formation of a dedicated safety organization ▲ performance of duties under relevant laws and regulations ▲ voluntary safety inspection activities ▲ support activities for identifying and eliminating risk factors — and the number of fatalities at construction sites, and then determined five grades through deliberation by the evaluation grade committee.
Specifically, ▲ 1–2 fatalities: grade 1 ▲ 3–4 fatalities: grade 2 ▲ 5–6 fatalities: downgrade to grade 3 ▲ 7 or more fatalities: lowest grade. The grades were evaluated as ▲ very excellent (95 points or higher) ▲ excellent (85–95 points) ▲ average (60–85 points) ▲ insufficient (40–60 points) ▲ very insufficient (below 40 points).
This year's evaluation covered 366 participants at 283 sites, and one ordering agency and five contractors received a "very excellent" rating. In addition, 42 participants were rated "excellent," and 42 participants were rated "very insufficient."
To expand the evaluation targets to private projects this year, participation by 23 contractors was requested through the Construction Association of Korea, but only one company, Moa Housing Industry Co., Ltd., participated and received an "average" rating.
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) received an "average" rating in 2023 and an "excellent" rating in 2024, and, as it continued to strengthen voluntary safety activities, it achieved "zero fatal accidents" at its construction sites for the second consecutive year and received a "very excellent" rating this year. Korea National Railway received "insufficient" in 2023 and "very insufficient" in 2024, but after scores were disclosed, it overhauled its safety activities and received an "excellent" rating this year.
In contrast, Pyeongtaek City Hall and the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education were rated "very insufficient" for the second consecutive year due to a lack of interest in safety management, inadequate safety management organization, and insufficient voluntary safety activities.
Among contractors, Hyundai Engineering Co., Ltd. received an excellent rating in 2024 despite very high evaluation scores due to one fatal accident, and in 2025 received only a very insufficient rating due to an accident that resulted in multiple fatalities.
For ordering agencies that are state-owned enterprises, the safety management level evaluation results are reflected in public institution management evaluations through the public institution safety management grading system, and for contractors, they are reflected as an evaluation item in the credibility assessment when calculating construction capability evaluation amounts.
Park Dong-ju, head of the Construction Safety Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We plan to continuously expand the evaluation targets and use of results of the safety management level evaluation to hold those who neglect safety management clearly accountable and to grant appropriate rewards to those who strive for safety management," asking construction project participants for active cooperation in safety management at construction sites.