Leading construction companies South Korea 2022, by building capacity

In 2022, Samsung C&T (Construction and Trading) was ranked as the leading South Korean construction company by estimated construction capability. The government’s annual construction capability evaluation measures a company’s performance based on construction contracts, business management, technical capabilities, and brand credibility. Based on this year’s evaluation, Samsung’s building capacity was measured as approximately 21.95 trillion South Korean won, nearly double that of second-ranking Hyundai E&C, and more than double that of third-ranking DL E&C. Samsung, Hyundai, DL E&C, POSCO E&C, and GS E&C are considered Korea’s leading five construction companies.

Major Korean construction companies

Samsung C&T’s estimated capacity was far greater than that of any other Korean construction company. It is not just a construction company, but is also involved in trade, food distribution, resorts and more, in contrast to the other Big 5 companies. Construction was Samsung C&T’s second-most profitable business sector in 2021, posting almost 11 trillion South Korean won worth of sales that year, with a total of over 34 trillion won in profits from all sectors. Samsung C&T is also the company that built the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, currently the tallest building in the world. The total sales revenue of Hyundai E&C in 2021 was much lower, but unlike Samsung, Hyundai’s E&C sales came from only engineering and construction work.

Korean construction industry

Of the approximately 232 thousand construction permits issued in South Korea in 2021, the majority were for steel reinforcements and frames, as well as residential and commercial buildings. The total sales value of the South Korean construction sector hit record highs in 2019 before dipping again in 2020.