[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Assemblyman Jo O-seop (The Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Buk-gu Gap) held a forum on the construction of the Gwangju~Daegu inland railway at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 29th.
The forum was held under the theme "How far has the Dalbit Railway construction progressed?"
About 100 people attended, including Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City; Jin Sun-mi, Chairperson of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee; Song Gap-seok, Chairman of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Party; Assemblymen Lee Byung-hoon, Yang Hyang-ja, Yoon Young-duk, Lee Hyung-seok, Lee Yong-bin, Min Hyung-bae, Yang Jeong-sook; and citizens of Gwangju.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr. Lee Ho of the Korea Transport Institute, and discussants included Professor Choi Wan-seok of Gwangju University, Lee Jun of the Korea Railroad Research Institute, Heo Ik-bae, Director of the Transportation and Construction Bureau of Gwangju City, and Park Jin-hong, Head of the Spatial Policy Division at the Balanced National Development Committee.
Dr. Lee Ho explained, "The Dalbit Inland Railway has only been reflected as an additional review project rather than a reviewed project in the 1st to 3rd National Railway Network Plans," and added, "We must expedite the development of logic that aligns with the direction of the 4th National Railway Network Construction Plan."
He also emphasized, "Policy and regional balanced development should be highlighted over economic feasibility, and the paradigm of railway construction should shift to 'supply first, demand later,'" stressing, "The Dalbit Inland Railway is essential for revitalizing the southern economic zone and overcoming the unipolar system of the central economic zone."
Assemblyman Jo O-seop stated, "To narrow the physical distance between Gwangju and Daegu, symbols of Yeonghonam, and to connect the politically, economically, and socially disconnected east and west, the Dalbit Inland Railway must be included in the 4th National Railway Network Plan," and added, "I expect this forum to be a place where diverse opinions gather to achieve the common goals of national balanced development and regional co-prosperity."
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