South Korea ’ s largest steelmaker POSCO is officially allowed to continue its construction of a new steel manufacturing plant , which has been stalled for a year and half due to a flight altitude rule imposed by Pohang Airport . Prime Minister ’ s Office ( PMO ) voted for a plan that recommends easing the altitude rule only for the area where the new steel plant is going to be built on the premise of ensuring safety for the airport in an administrative policy coordination panel discussion on Tuesday . The Ministry of National Defense ( MND ) , the Pohang City and POSCO , major stakeholders of the new plant will have to coordinate details based on the plan . POSCO embarked on the construction of the new plant with a height of 85 . 8 m in the area of Dongcheon - dong , 2 . 1 km off the runway at Pohang Airport in June 2008 , but had to halt the project in August 2009 due to the altitude issue . The issue emerged because the Pohang City permitted the company to build the new plant in a flight safety zone without prior consultations . The construction was 93 % complete at the time , but the work had to be ceased for a year and five months . “ We need to increase our capacity as early as possible because we are in short of steel in the midst of a steel war with China . Even at the expense of additional costs , 100 billion won ( $ 89 . 73 million ) , we will finish the construction work according to the plan and start operating the plant within a month , ” Kim Dong - man , managing director from POSCO said . [ Written by Kye - man Kang - Su - hyun Song / edited by Soyoung Chung ]