SK ecoplant said on the 26th that construction errors were found in the railway track (track) installation in the Bujeon–Masan double-track rail construction section and that it has begun demolition and reinstallation. Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport visited the site the previous day and ordered rework.
According to SK ecoplant that day, while preparing to open the Bujeon–Masan double-track railway, the company conducted its own detailed track measurement and confirmed that the rail height and position errors exceeded the allowable standard of 3 mm. The largest error found was up to 82 mm.
The Bujeon–Masan double-track railway is a new 32.7-kilometer line between Bujeon Station in Busan and Masan Station in Changwon. After a ground subsidence accident in 2020, construction was halted with 99% progress.
Immediately after confirming the construction errors, SK ecoplant reported the details to the relevant authorities, including Korea National Railway and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), and discussed response plans and cross-verification measures.
The Minister visited the site the previous day, inspected the construction status, and ordered rework. At the site, the Minister instructed a safety inspection for the entire project section beyond the area where construction errors were found and said, "Before opening, we will conduct a comprehensive inspection of all railway facilities and sufficiently carry out actual test runs of trains to fully verify safety, and then open the line."
Accordingly, SK ecoplant will promptly carry out demolition work and rebuild. It also plans to proceed with verification procedures by a third-party specialized institution for the entire project section and discuss alternatives.
An SK ecoplant official emphasized, "Since we identified the errors through thorough measurements before completion, we will continue communicating with the relevant authorities and, in particular, fully reflect the repair and reinforcement plans proposed by specialized institutions to ensure the safety of railway operations," adding, "We will do our best to prioritize safety and avoid any setbacks to the opening schedule."