[Choi Jun-young's Urban Pilgrimage] 4th Railway Network

Doubling the Railway Network by 2030... Focus on Expanding Metropolitan Rail Networks in Non-Capital Regions
Capacity Expansion of Susaek~Geumcheon-gu Office and Wangsimni~Cheongnyangni Lines Welcomed
Bold Elimination of Regionalism Routes... Appropriate Civil Engineering Projects Are the Best Welfare

On the 22nd, a public hearing on the 4th National Railroad Network Plan was held online. It attracted much more attention than in the past, especially focusing on metropolitan area lines. This indicates that railroads are now recognized as the preferred mode of transportation over roads in South Korea. Railroads are less affected by weather conditions. Since they exclusively use the tracks, they also offer excellent punctuality. Moreover, because they transport many passengers and freight with the same amount of energy, expanding the role and share of railroads is a crucial factor in reducing carbon emissions.

In October 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Committee announced in a document titled "Metropolitan Transportation 2030" that the focus of metropolitan transportation policy would shift from roads to railroads, and that the railroad network would be doubled by 2030. The recently announced plan contains specific details of this policy. It is known that after revisions and supplements based on opinions presented at the public hearing, the plan will be finalized within this year.

Many people expect that if a line is included in the National Railroad Network Plan, it will be constructed as is. However, inclusion in the plan does not guarantee construction by the target deadline. Lines included in the plan undergo a strict cost-effectiveness analysis and evaluation through a "preliminary feasibility study." Only if they pass this stage can they proceed as actual projects.

Lines roughly proposed are finalized in detail through the basic design process. It is common for the schedule to be delayed due to regional conflicts during this process. Additionally, related procedures such as environmental impact assessments take a considerable amount of time. There may also be a need to decide whether to proceed with private investment or government budget. Even if funded by the budget, it is uncertain whether the budget will be allocated as planned. However, lines not included in the National Railroad Network Plan are difficult to promote at all, so many local governments strive to have their railroad plans included.

The recently announced plan aims to improve railroad operation efficiency, establish high-speed connections between major hubs, expand metropolitan railroads outside the metropolitan area, and resolve traffic congestion in the metropolitan area. Many experts positively evaluate the fact that issues raised since the late 2000s have finally been formalized. However, there are criticisms that unnecessary lines were included due to excessive consideration of regional balance, and doubts remain about whether the persistent bottlenecks in the metropolitan area can be fundamentally resolved.

The most notable feature of this plan is the expansion of metropolitan railroad networks outside the metropolitan area. Metropolitan railroad networks that cross administrative boundaries and connect adjacent areas into a single living zone have long been considered exclusive to the metropolitan area. With the Busan-Ulsan line scheduled to open next year as the only metropolitan railroad outside the metropolitan area, this plan adds metropolitan railroads that utilize existing railroad lines or are newly constructed. Considering that transportation networks are the core of building metropolitan living zones promoted as part of regional balanced development, establishing such regional metropolitan railroad networks can be very helpful.

On the other hand, to resolve capacity shortages occurring in sections where train operations are concentrated, capacity will be expanded on the Susaek-Geumcheon-gu Office, Gwangmyeong-Pyeongtaek, and Wangsimni-Cheongnyangni sections. The necessity of these sections has been raised for a long time. Although analyzed as economically viable, they have been continuously delayed. As a result, even if local lines are expanded, the number of trips to Seoul remains limited. These sections should have been promoted earlier, but not only were they delayed, but based on past cases, further delays cannot be ruled out. The benefits of these sections are distributed across various regions, but there is no clear entity to actively promote these projects.

The need for industrial railroads connecting industrial complexes and surrounding areas has been raised since the past. However, due to the very late progress, questions arise at this point about whether the necessity is still valid. Unlike roads, railroads require separate spur lines to connect individual business sites. However, there is no separate support for the required costs, making it unclear whether companies will bear the burden. Recently constructed lines connecting nearby ports and industrial complexes have not attracted freight as expected. Considering this, a more detailed approach and policy are needed.

Although there are some controversies and issues to be supplemented in the future, the 4th plan can be seen as a significant advancement in that it clearly reflects the recognition that railroad investment should be expanded and railroads should play a key role compared to the past. It is also positive that lines that could be considered regional selfishness were boldly organized and reduced, thereby enhancing the plan’s validity.

What remains now is to put the plan into practice. Many railroad lines take well over 10 years from planning to completion. Some lines even exceed 20 years. It is understandable that securing funding is not easy. However, delays in railroad lines cause greater congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution, resulting in higher costs for society as a whole. While criticism of civil engineering projects exists, it should not be forgotten that appropriate civil engineering projects are the best welfare projects.

Choi Jun-young, Specialist, Law Firm Yulchon