SOUTHEAST ASIA CONSTRUCTION03 May 2019
South Korea’s Cheonsa Bridge opens

The Cheonsa Bridge connecting Aphaedo Island and Amtaedo Island in Sinan-gun, Jeonnam, has recently opened to the public. It is said to be Korea’s fourth largest bridge at 7.22 km long and the only marine complex bridge that has used both cable-stayed bridge and suspension bridge construction methods.

The project was completed in April 2019, eight years and six months after construction started in September 2010. The cable-stayed bridge, which is the first section, was constructed by Daewoo E&C; the second section - the suspension bridge - was built by Daelim.

The new two-lane, island-connecting bridge links Sinan Aphaedo Island connected to Mokpo with a suspension bridge and Amtaedo Island, which was previously not connected with a bridge. Although neighbouring bridges were connected with bridges, local residents and tourists reportedly had to take a boat to reach the mainland because there was no bridge connecting Aphaedo Island - which was connected to Mokpo - and Amtaedo Island.  

With the opening of Cheonsa Bridge, five islands (Jaendo Island, Amtaedo Island, Palgeumdo Island, Anjwado Island and Jarado Island) are now connected to the mainland. Thus, local residents can get there in approximately 10 minutes by car, unlike before when they had to ride a boat that could take one to two hours.