Gangdong-gu and Hanam-si Issue Statement in Front of the National Assembly Urging to Preserve the Original GTX-D Plan

Efforts to Include Gangdong-gu Route in the 4th National Railroad Network Plan Confirmed and Scheduled for Announcement in June

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) announced that on the 16th at 4:30 PM, together with Hanam City and resident representatives of the ‘Gangdong-gu·Hanam City GTX-D Line Joint Promotion Committee,’ they will jointly hold an event in front of the National Assembly to urge the connection of the GTX-D line ‘Gimpo~Bucheon~Gangdong~Hanam.’

So far, the district has conducted a resident signature campaign from March to August 2020 to promote the GTX-D line passing through Gangdong-gu, garnering participation from over 100,000 residents. They also independently carried out the ‘Gangdong-gu GTX-D Introduction Research Project’ and have been recommending to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) that the GTX-D line pass through Gangdong-gu.

However, at the MOLIT’s 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan (draft) public hearing on April 22, the GTX-D (Western Metropolitan Express Railroad) line was announced to be reduced to the ‘Gimpo Janggi~Bucheon Sports Complex’ section, which caused great anger and disappointment among residents.

In response, immediately after the MOLIT public hearing, the district pointed out the problems with the route reduction and officially protested, actively expressing opposition.

On May 12, about 20 members of the ‘Gangdong-gu·Hanam City GTX-D Line Joint Promotion Committee,’ including Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon, Hanam Mayor Kim Sang-ho, and resident representatives, protested the reduction of the Gimpo~Bucheon section of the GTX-D line in front of the MOLIT building in Sejong City and issued a statement urging the inclusion of the GTX-D line passing through Gangdong-gu and Hanam City in the metropolitan area.

Additionally, on May 20, at Bucheon Sports Complex Station, together with the mayors of Gimpo, Bucheon, and Hanam, they jointly announced a ‘Joint Position Statement to Preserve the Original GTX-D Plan Connecting Gimpo~Bucheon~Gangdong~Hanam,’ continuously striving for the original inclusion of the GTX-D line.

Furthermore, on May 20, the district proposed a joint response by 25 autonomous districts and Seoul City at the Seoul City District Mayors’ Council to include the Seoul section of the GTX-D line. They plan to strongly request cooperation to connect the GTX-D Seoul section through a meeting with the Seoul Mayor as soon as possible.

Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon stated, “The announcement of the GTX-D line section as ‘Gimpo Janggi~Bucheon Sports Complex,’ which was supposed to be an alternative to resolve the future population increase and the surging metropolitan traffic congestion in Gangdong-gu, is a plan that does not consider the alleviation of metropolitan traffic congestion, economic feasibility, or regional balanced development.” He added, “We strongly urge MOLIT to collect opinions demanding the Gangdong~Hanam connection, readjust the metropolitan area GTX-D line, and reflect it in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan.”