Ministry of Land to Reflect 'GTX-C Line Basic Plan'... Jung Soon-gyun, Gangnam District Mayor, Collaborates with 'KTX Metropolitan Northeast Extension Operation Preparation Committee'
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The long-awaited extension of the SRT (high-speed rail) from Suseo Station to Samsung Station Complex Transfer Center, a wish of Gangnam-gu residents and Seoul citizens, has become possible.
On the 10th, Kim Hyun-mi, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated at the National Assembly Budget Committee, “We have decided to secure space at stations where the SRT can stop and to include the construction of a branching line from Suseo Station to Samsung Station in the basic plan for the Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX).”
In response, Jung Soon-gyun, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said on the 15th, “The introduction of high-speed rail to Samsung Station is not only a national aspiration for the 570,000 residents of Gangnam-gu but also a national long-term plan in preparation for an era of peace between the North and South,” adding, “We welcome the government’s decision for the national economy, future, and public convenience.”
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had initially maintained a negative stance on introducing high-speed rail to Samsung Station, citing unclear new demand, but it is known that the recent policy change reflects Gangnam-gu’s persuasion, public opinion, and the possibility of balanced development.
As a result, Samsung Station is expected to establish itself as the “transportation hub of Korea,” connected underground to the existing Subway Lines 2 and 9, GTX-A and GTX-C lines, Wirye-Sinsa Line, the 105-story GBC (Hyundai Global Business Center) under construction nearby, and COEX.
Last May and July, Gangnam-gu held policy forums inviting residents and experts at COEX and the National Assembly, and sent letters under the mayor’s name to the Blue House, the Prime Minister’s Office, all 299 members of the National Assembly, the Democratic Party representative office, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s ministerial offices, urging the necessity and prompt implementation of high-speed rail introduction at Samsung Station.
Mayor Jung also met directly with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the 15th of last month to request government cooperation and has emphasized the need for high-speed rail at Samsung Station through various channels such as media interviews and opinion pieces.
Mayor Jung said, “To maximize the chain effects among economic foundations such as Yeongdong-daero complex development, international exchange complex district development, MICE industry promotion, and GBC construction, the entry of high-speed rail into Samsung Station is essential,” adding, “I thank the residents who have persuaded central government and lawmakers, government officials including the Prime Minister, the Gangnam-gu Council, and all district office staff who have supported us until the end.”
Meanwhile, Gangnam-gu plans to closely cooperate with the ‘KTX Metropolitan Area Northeast Extension Operation Preparation Committee,’ composed of Dobong, Nowon, Dongdaemun districts, and Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province, to enable high-speed rail operation by 2027 when the Yeongdong-daero complex development is completed.
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