Capacity Building Program for Self-Reliance of Sustainable Road Construction, Laos

Korea Construction Technology Research Institute (President Kim Byeong-seok/hereafter Construction Research Institute) started supporting the Lao government-led road construction independence through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Official Development Assistance (ODA) 'Laos Road Construction and Management-Based Self-Reliance Project'.

The ‘Laos Road Construction and Management Foundation Self-Reliance Project’ is an ODA project that supports Laos to create a sustainable and strong road construction environment and lay the foundation for self-reliance.  Since July of last year, Korea Expressway Corporation and Daishin Plant Industry Co., Ltd. have formed and implemented a consortium under the supervision of the Korea Construction Research Institute.

            Laos is geopolitically bordering five countries, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, so it is pursuing a policy to develop into a country that connects neighboring countries.  In addition, compared to Thailand and Vietnam, where the pavement rate is more than 50%, Laos is only 24%, and the road infrastructure is very poor due to the deterioration of existing roads and insufficient maintenance.

 At the 2019 ASEAN-Korea Infrastructure Ministerial Meeting and the Korea-ASEAN Summit, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos requested Korea's know-how cooperation support for the modernization of road construction in Laos.  In response to such a request from the recipient country, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has promoted the project as an ODA project through government-to-Government (G2G) cooperation.

 The Korea Construction Institute will support the Lao government to become self-sufficient in road construction and management by 2025.  In addition to supporting the modernization of road construction standards and quality control in Laos, the company plans to provide production facilities and experimental equipment to improve unpaved roads, develop optimization methods, and carry out local pilot projects.  On May 25th, the Korea-Laura technical exchange seminar was held to strengthen the competence of Laos road experts.  It is expected that this Laos ODA project will enhance the 'K-road' brand and increase opportunities to enter the Laos road construction market.

 As part of this project, the ROK Construction Research Institute (President Min-woo Park/hereafter referred to as the Education Institute) and the Construction Technology Training Institute (President Min-woo Park/hereafter, the Education Institute) conducted the ‘Laos Road Pavement Technology Competency Enhancement Course’ from July 1 to 7.  15 experts in the road construction field, including civil servants from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos, participated in this course.

 Through the invitational training, Korea's road construction standards and management system, unpaved road improvement technology, and asphalt pavement quality management know-how were introduced.  In addition, it was possible to experience firsthand by visiting the headquarters of the Korea Construction Research Institute, the Korea Road Corporation Road Traffic Research Institute, and the domestic Ascon plant facilities.

 Byeong-seok Kim, president of the Korea Construction Research Institute, said, "We will introduce Korea's road construction standards and road pavement technology directly, and provide active support so that they can be applied in practice."

 Phitsaphonh PHILAVONG, deputy director general of the Road Bureau of the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, who participated in this invitational training, said, “Through this invitational training, I was able to experience Korea’s road construction know-how and advanced technology. Through this, I hope that the Lao government-led road construction independence can be realized.”

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