Governor Kim Kyung-su: "Namhae-Yeosu Undersea Tunnel, Essential Project for Balanced Development"

On the 18th, Jang Chung-nam County Governor and Namhae-gun Project Site Field Visit

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Kim Kyung-soo, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, emphasized, "The Namhae-Yeosu Undersea Tunnel is an essential project for tourism on the southern coast and the balanced development of western Gyeongnam and eastern Honam regions."

On the afternoon of the 18th, Governor Kim visited the planned site for the undersea tunnel construction project in Seomyeon, Namhae County, stating, "The undersea tunnel is an indispensable project for balanced development through win-win cooperation in the southern central region of the southern coast, centered on Yeosu and Namhae."

This project consists of a 4.2 km undersea tunnel section, a 1.73 km land tunnel, and a 1.37 km access road, totaling 7.3 km in length.

The route connects National Route 77 between Namhae and Yeosu, with an estimated project cost of 631.2 billion KRW and a target opening year of 2029.

It has been selected as a subject for a comprehensive preliminary feasibility study under the '5th National and Local Road Five-Year Plan' and is currently undergoing research.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to announce the final version of the '5th National and Local Road Five-Year Plan' in the first half of this year.

After receiving a project status report from Jang Chung-nam, Mayor of Namhae County, Governor Kim stated, "The undersea tunnel is also a regional pledge project of President Moon Jae-in, and we have continuously consulted with the central government, Jeonnam Province, and Yeosu City," adding, "I will actively persuade the government until the end to realize the aspirations of the residents of Namhae and the province."

Once the undersea tunnel, the last unconnected section of National Route 77 along the southern coast, is completed, travel time, which currently takes 1 hour and 30 minutes, will be reduced to 10 minutes.

Based on pre-COVID-19 figures, the movement between the 40 million annual tourists in eastern Jeonnam and over 30 million tourists in western Gyeongnam between Namhae and Yeosu will become easier, creating synergy in tourism.

Attention is focused on whether this long-awaited project in western Gyeongnam, following the Western Gyeongnam KTX (Southern Inland High-Speed Railway) during the 7th local government term, will be realized.