Busan City Launches Full-Scale Study on Facility Efficiency Including Gyeongbu Line Railroad Undergrounding

Holding a Kick-off Meeting for Research Service Initiation

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Yoseop] Busan City has officially launched a study on facility efficiency, including the undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway.

On the afternoon of the 17th, Busan City held a kickoff briefing for the ‘Facility Efficiency Study including the Undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line Railway’ at the city hall meeting room, chaired by Mayor Oh Keo-don, with related experts and institutions in attendance.

The kickoff briefing comes one year after the ‘Busan Grand Renovation Vision’ was announced in February last year, signaling that the Busan Grand Renovation project is expected to gain momentum.

The scope of this study covers the Gupo-Sasang-Busan Station section of the Gyeongbu Line (16.5 km), the Gaya Vehicle Depot, and the area around Bujeon Station. The main contents include ▲proposing facility efficiency measures such as undergrounding the Gyeongbu Line railway ▲utilizing idle railway land and establishing a comprehensive urban regeneration plan for the surrounding areas.

This study for facility efficiency, including the undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway, which is a core project of the ‘Connection’ project under the ‘Busan Grand Renovation’ initiative, is being conducted by the Korea Transport Institute and is scheduled to be completed by June next year.

Busan City plans to build a close cooperative system with experts and related institutions and enhance policy execution through diverse citizen feedback and public discussion processes.

The experts attending the meeting unanimously agreed that the facility efficiency project, including the undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway, is highly related to the successful hosting of the ‘2030 Busan World Expo,’ which was confirmed as a national project last year and is being actively pursued at the intergovernmental level.

Kim Bong-cheol, Director of the Logistics Policy Division of Busan City, said, “Through this study, we will secure project feasibility and develop implementation strategies to carry out the facility efficiency project, including the undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line railway, in support of the successful hosting of the 2030 Busan World Expo and national development,” adding, “We will make it a successful model of urban grand renovation in the Republic of Korea.”