O Gyu-seok, Mayor of Gijang County, Visits Korea Rail Network Authority Yeongnam Headquarters to Express Commitment to Projects
On April 9, Oh Gyuseok, the mayor of Gijang County, and Gijang County staff visited the Yeongnam Headquarters of the National Railroad Corporation in Jung-gu, Busan, to discuss plans for utilizing the abandoned railway land of the Donghae Nambu Line.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan Gijang-gun consulted with the Yeongnam Headquarters of the Korea Rail Network Authority regarding the utilization plan for the abandoned Donghae Nambu Line railway land.
On the 9th, Gijang-gun Governor Oh Gyu-seok and others visited the Yeongnam Headquarters of the Korea Rail Network Authority and exchanged opinions with Director Shin Hyung-ha on the utilization plan and land use methods for the abandoned railway land.
Gijang-gun had suspended the utilization plan for the Donghae Nambu Line abandoned railway land in 2018 due to excessive project costs. They are currently reviewing it again to enhance efficiency and economic feasibility with minimal budget.
Governor Oh Gyu-seok explained, “This themed trekking rail road project is a project that can provide new healing spaces for residents. We are planning various utilization methods such as a trekking rail road themed on train track lyrics, a moonlight theme path, Omaksali resting area, corn path, and cosmos flower path.”
Director Shin Hyung-ha of the Yeongnam Headquarters of the Korea Rail Network Authority said, “We view Gijang-gun’s proposal positively,” and added, “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is conducting a public contest for the ‘Railway Idle Land Utilization Project.’ If we participate in the contest with the ‘Themed Trekking Rail Road’ project, we will actively consider it from the perspective of efficient management of national property and public utilization.”
The Railway Idle Land Utilization Project is a project held twice a year by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to systematically manage and efficiently utilize idle railway land, improve the living environment of residents near railways, create jobs, and revitalize the local economy.
When local governments propose utilization plans and projects to the Korea Rail Network Authority, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority review and select the projects.
After signing a railway idle land utilization agreement between the local government and the Korea Rail Network Authority, a project promotion council is formed to proceed with the project.
Gijang-gun also requested the purchase of land related to the registration of Jwacheon Station as a modern cultural asset, which is currently underway, and the reduction of the interval between trains on the Donghae Line connecting Busan Bujeon Station and Ulsan Taehwagang Station, scheduled to open at the end of September this year.
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