“PM is a decision-making acceleration platform” philosophy
Success Stories of Major Landmark Projects
Accelerating projects such as Terme Korea Incheon

Lee Sang-hak, CEO of Sunjin P&I. Courtesy of Sunjin P&I.

“We take pride in the practical experience and insights gained by directly conducting projects in the field, which are the most powerful weapon and differentiator driving SUNJIN P&I.”

Lee Sang-hak, CEO of Sunjin P&I, made these remarks during an interview with the Kookmin Ilbo on the 27th, while explaining the achievements of large-scale projects carried out so far. Based on the achievements and know-how he has personally accumulated regarding large-scale projects such as 'Paradise City,' CEO Lee is leading Sunjin P&I, a Project Management (PM) firm, and is accelerating the implementation of other large-scale projects, including 'Therme Korea Incheon.'

CEO Lee believes that as the paradigm of the construction industry shifts, complex modern development projects can no longer be managed solely through the linear processes of the past. He argues that we are now in an era that demands PMs acting as a "core decision-making platform" capable of integrating information across the entire project process and providing immediate insights, going beyond simple schedule and cost management.

Sunjin P&I, born from the collaboration of proven experts in architecture, urban planning, civil engineering, construction, and operations with Sunjin Engineering & Architecture, stands at the forefront of this industrial transformation. It is in the same vein that CEO Lee’s philosophy—to act as the client’s agent to provide customized services of a different caliber and turn the business owner’s vision into reality—is embodied in Sunjin P&I’s management.

A signing ceremony for the Golden Harbor Wellness Spa & Resort AoR contract was held on December 4 of last year in the main conference room of the Terme Group Korea (TGK) headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. From left: Lee Sang-hwa, Executive Director, and Lee Sang-hak, CEO of Sunjin P&I; Kim In-sook, Chairwoman of TGK; Yoon Se-han, CEO, and Lee Jae-myung, Director of Haeahn Architecture; and Han Yun-jin, Vice President of TGK. Kukmin Ilbo DB

Therme Korea Incheon, for which Sunjin P&I is the PM, is considered a key project that will breathe new life into the Incheon Golden Harbor development, which had been stagnant for a long time. The project is being pursued to develop a ‘Wellbeing Spa & Resort’ featuring a glass dome design on two plots (99,041.6㎡) within the Golden Harbor site, with an investment of 850.8 billion won.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority has already set sail on the project, having signed a business agreement with the global wellness resort company Terme Group at G-Tower in Songdo International City on February 28. Moving forward, the Authority plans to finalize the selection of financial investors (FI) and construction investors (CI), and proceed with licensing procedures and design modifications tailored to the changing tourism environment, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027. The target completion and opening is 2031.

CEO Lee explained, “I have successfully carried out large-scale complex development projects for both national and private facilities, including Paradise City in Yeongjong, Incheon—the first integrated resort in Northeast Asia—as well as AK Pyeongtaek, the development of Suwon Private Railway Station, and Yangyang Airport.” He added, “Recently, I have been personally leading the PM role for projects such as Terme Korea Incheon, which is set to become a wellness landmark in the metropolitan area, and I am striving to ensure the success of these ventures.”

He continued by emphasizing, “Even before the achievements made under the name of Sunjin P&I, the solid project experience and portfolios built by all members, including myself, through hands-on fieldwork serve as the foundation for our PMs.” He added, “We possess broad individual portfolios across various fields, ranging from large-scale commercial and office facilities such as the 2 trillion won Inspire Entertainment Resort, Sindorim D-Cube City, Pine Avenue, and Sinsa Tower, to overseas master plans like the Saad Al Abdullah New City in Kuwait.” The following is a Q&A with CEO Lee.

Lee Sang-hak, CEO of Sunjin P&I, is explaining large-scale projects for which he is serving as PM, including Terme Korea Incheon. Courtesy of Sunjin P&I.

- What kind of company is Sunjin P&I?
Every development project possesses different goals and environments. Sunjin P&I is a company that deeply understands these differences and provides customized services best suited for each project by meticulously analyzing the client's tendencies and overall conditions. We are not merely a service provider. Based on technical expertise and a broad understanding of the real estate development market, we act as a true partner, leading the entire process alongside the client from project discovery and planning to implementation and operation.

- How does the connection with Sunjin Engineering act as a strength?
“Our connection with Sunjin Engineering can be considered our strongest and most unrivaled competitive advantage. Sunjin P&I does not exist in isolation; instead, we have established an organic backup and support system with our parent company, Sunjin Engineering’s formidable technical divisions spanning all fields, including urban planning, civil engineering, architecture, electrical engineering, infrastructure, and energy. Even when a Project Manager (PM) presents an impressive business plan, projects often fail due to technical barriers or licensing issues. However, from the initial planning stage, Sunjin Engineering’s top technical team is deployed to simultaneously conduct precise constructability reviews from an engineering perspective and ensure technology-based quality. Thanks to this, we can minimize unnecessary design changes and proactively control challenging licensing risks, thereby significantly protecting the project owner's time and costs.”

- The phrase on the company website, "Profit, not design, should come before the design," is impressive.
“Meeting a PM consultant is half the battle in business. Most real estate developments begin with the creation of planning drawings by an architect, followed by approaching financial institutions based on those plans. However, this is a highly risky approach that wastes time and money while neglecting uncertainty. Designs lacking market analysis or funding attempts without a sophisticated profit structure ultimately result in massive sunk costs. Sunjin P&I proposes a procedure for a ‘winning business’ that involves first verifying data-driven profit guarantees and a sustainable operational structure before embarking on the optimal design.”

Lee Sang-hak, CEO of Sunjin P&I, is speaking about new standards for PM. Courtesy of Sunjin P&I.

- What is the ‘new standard for PM’ presented by Sunjin P&I?
“The role of PM must now be redefined not as managing operations, but as a platform that accelerates decision-making. The previously disconnected phases of a project must be connected as one, and all participants must move agilely based on unified data. Our approach is to eliminate decision-making delays and integrate the field and management into a single execution speed. We focus on three technical specifications: ‘How bold,’ ‘How fast,’ and ‘How innovative.’”

- Finally, is there a vision you would like to share with business owners?
“I will serve as the reliable eyes and ears, overseeing the entire project on behalf of the client and managing budget, schedule, and quality in an integrated manner. I will take responsibility for the project's entire lifecycle, from the planning stage to the post-completion operation phase, and collaborate with external professional organizations to review risks from various angles, helping business owners make more rational decisions. I am confident that I will become a partner who connects our clients' visions to reality through innovative solutions and creates long-term, sustainable future value together with them, based on trust and responsibility.”

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