Phase 2 New Towns, Low Execution Rate of Metropolitan Transportation Measures... Paju Unjeong 3 District at 8%

Among 11 Locations, 5 Have Project Expenditure Rates Below 50%

Panoramic View of Dongtan New Town

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] More than 10 years have passed since the second phase of new towns in the Seoul metropolitan area began their first move-ins, but it has been revealed that nearly half of these areas have a metropolitan transportation improvement project expenditure rate of less than 50%.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Yoo Ui-dong, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee from the People Power Party, on the 7th, out of the 11 second-phase new towns, 5 had a metropolitan transportation improvement project expenditure rate below 50%.

The second-phase new towns began sequential move-ins starting with Hwaseong Dongtan 1 District in 2007.

The area with the lowest expenditure rate was Paju Unjeong 3 District, with an expenditure rate of only 8%. Of the total project cost of 1.0335 trillion KRW, only 85.2 billion KRW was actually spent.

Incheon Geomdan New Town also spent only 10%, or 114.3 billion KRW, out of the 1.155 trillion KRW project budget. Additionally, Wirye New Town and Pyeongtaek Godeok New Town had expenditure rates of 31% each, and Hwaseong Dongtan 2 District had 45%, all below half.

On the other hand, Gimpo Hangang New Town had a project budget of 2.1094 trillion KRW but spent 2.5794 trillion KRW, recording an expenditure rate of 122%, while Seongnam Pangyo New Town and Hwaseong Dongtan 1 District also reached 100% expenditure rates.

Despite many second-phase new towns having completed move-ins, delays in expanding the metropolitan transportation network have increased residents' dissatisfaction, leading to calls for areas with low project expenditure rates to be designated as special measures districts to accelerate project progress.

Previously, the government prepared measures to designate special measures districts if the metropolitan transportation improvement plan implementation and expenditure rate is below 50% for new towns where residents have already moved in or are scheduled to move in within a year.

Assemblyman Yoo emphasized, "Special measures districts should be designated for second-phase new towns with low expenditure rates to promptly execute the delayed metropolitan transportation plans."