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Busan Audit Committee Announces Results of Special Audit on Sasang–Hadan Line Construction Project

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The Busan Audit Committee (Chairperson: Yoon Hee-yeon) has announced the results of a special audit conducted on the Sasang–Hadan Urban Railway Construction Project between October 21 and November 15, 2024. The audit was launched in response to delays in project completion, prolonged traffic congestion, and repeated sinkhole incidents that caused public concern over safety and inconvenience.

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Key Findings

◈ The audit resulted in:

• ●10 administrative actions (2 corrections, 4 cautions, 4 notifications)

• ●33 personnel-related actions (11 advisories, 22 warnings)

• ●KRW 1.159 billion in project cost reduction through design change recommendations

◈ The major sinkhole incident that occurred on September 21, 2024, in Zone 2 of the construction site was found to be caused by a combination of factors, including:

• ●Heavy rainfall (379mm)

• ●Inadequate water-blocking and retaining wall construction management

• ●Improper drainage connections

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Audit Observations

• ●Poor Quality Control:
  A subcontractor without proper qualifications conducted water-blocking quality tests. These reports were accepted without verification, leading to groundwater inflow and soil loss during tunnel excavation.

• ●Lack of Oversight:
  Busan Transportation Corporation instructed contractors to develop recovery plans for delayed schedules but failed to ensure their implementation or report issues to upper management.

• ●Construction Deficiencies:

• ○Weak retaining wall anchoring and missing structural piles

• ○Improper drainage channel construction

• ○Substandard soil blocking material permeability

• ○Failure to update designs or supervise site adjustments

• ●Environmental Oversight Failures:

• ○Post-environmental impact reports reused old site photos

• ○Soil contamination tests conducted at unauthorized locations

• ○Reports submitted to Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office with inaccurate documentation

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Actions Taken

• ●Contractors and construction supervisors were notified of penalties.

• ●Inaccurate cost estimations and redundant waterproofing materials led to KRW 893 million in recommended cost reductions.

• ●Improper lump-sum pricing for electrical/mechanical tunnel components led to additional deductions for undelivered items.

• ●The audit also pointed out deficient safety oversight, including role conflicts among safety engineers.

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Chairperson Yoon Hee-yeon of the Audit Committee stated:

“This audit confirmed that the cause of the sinkhole was not only external factors like heavy rain, but also internal failures in quality control, safety management, and construction oversight. The findings will serve as a turning point to strengthen safety management systems and prevent similar incidents in the future.”