Gangwon State Revises Design Standards for Small-Scale Construction Projects, Bringing Project Costs in Line with Reality

【Financial News Chuncheon=Reporter Kim Ki-seop】The applicable project-cost threshold for small-scale construction projects ordered by Gangwon State will be raised from KRW 50 million to KRW 200 million.
According to Gangwon State on the 17th, it revised its design standards for small-scale construction projects and put them into effect on the 1st. The revision is intended to reflect site conditions in project designs and ensure that construction costs are calculated appropriately. The revised standards will be used for small-scale construction projects ordered by Gangwon State and local cities and counties.
Since January 2023, Gangwon State had operated design standards covering 13 work categories for small-scale projects with project costs of KRW 50 million or less. However, as construction costs—including material and labor expenses—continued to rise, the number of projects subject to the existing standards gradually declined, increasing the need for an overhaul.
Unlike general construction projects, small-scale projects are often limited in size, have confined workspaces, or face difficulties with equipment access. As a result, there were cases in which the personnel, equipment, and working conditions required for actual construction were not adequately reflected in the designs.
Gangwon State therefore raised the applicable project-cost threshold from KRW 50 million or less to KRW 200 million or less and expanded the standards from the existing 13 work categories to 21 by adding eight more. This will allow more small-scale projects to use design standards that reflect actual site conditions. Gangwon State expects the revision to help secure appropriate construction costs, as well as improve workplace safety and construction quality, by ensuring that site conditions are reasonably reflected from the design stage.
Lee Jong-gu, head of the Construction and Transportation Bureau of Gangwon State, said, "The significance of this revision lies in incorporating the actual conditions of small-scale project sites, such as confined workspaces and equipment access, into the designs." He added, "We will continue to reflect feedback from the field and further improve the standards to make them more realistic."

[email protected] Kim Ki-seop Reporter