[Yoon Seok-yeol Elected] GTX-ABCD + EF... Creating a 30-Minute Living Zone in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Yoon Seok-yeol, the president-elect from the People Power Party, has pledged to extend and establish new lines of the metropolitan area express railroad (GTX), increasing the number of lines to six. Through this, he envisions opening an era of a 30-minute living zone in the metropolitan area.

On January 7, Yoon promised, "I will make it possible to commute within 30 minutes from all areas of the metropolitan area to downtown Seoul," pledging to extend GTX lines A to C and to establish new lines D, E, and F.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to change the Western Metropolitan Express Railroad, which only included the 'Gimpo~Yongsan' section in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan, into GTX-D, connecting Gimpo~Geomdan~Bucheon Sports Complex~Gangnam Samsung~Hanam~Paldang, and add a branch line from Gangnam Samsung to Yeoju.

GTX lines A and C will be extended to Pyeongtaek from all existing stations. Line D will be based on the 'Gimpo~Daejang~Sillim~Sadang~Samsung~Hanam~Paldang' route, with an additional branch line connecting 'Samsung~Suseo~Gwangju~Yeoju' from Samsung.

Line E is planned to pass through 'Incheon~Gimpo Airport~Jeongneung~Guri~Namyangju,' and line F will form a circular line connecting 'Goyang~Ansan~Suwon~Yongin~Seongnam~Hanam~Uijeongbu~Goyang.'

Candidate Yoon intends to make line F a circular line that unites the entire metropolitan area into one mega city. The structure connects major hubs such as Goyang, Ansan, Suwon, Yongin, Seongnam, Hanam, and Uijeongbu via GTX.

However, it is uncertain whether these pledges will lead to actual construction. Concerns have been raised that extending lines and adding stations could cause the metropolitan railroad to degenerate into a second subway line, and criticisms about low economic feasibility suggest a low likelihood of realization.

Securing funding and slow construction progress are also issues. Large-scale railway projects like GTX require inclusion in the National Railroad Network Construction Plan, which is reviewed every ten years. Although the 4th plan (2021?2030) was finalized last year, new line establishments are likely to be considered only in the 5th plan (2031?2040). Considering that the 5th plan will be established in 2026, even if the next government is formed, GTX expansion policies seem distant.

Moreover, currently only GTX line A has begun construction. Lines B and C have not even started. Line A took 7 to 8 years from planning to construction. The opening target has been gradually postponed, with expectations that it will be operational at the earliest in 2028. For line C, conflicts are intensifying over plans to tunnel under the Eunma Apartments in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and to elevate the section between Dobongsan Station and Chang-dong Station in Dobong-gu.

Questions about the necessity of GTX itself are growing. As usage decreases toward the outskirts of the metropolitan area, economic feasibility declines. There is a possibility that deficits will have to be covered by taxpayers' money.

Meanwhile, the government is currently promoting four GTX lines, A through D. GTX-A is scheduled to open in 2024. GTX-B plans to select a preferred negotiation partner within this year, and GTX-C aims to sign an implementation agreement in the first half of the year. GTX-D (Western Metropolitan Express Railroad) is managing the project with the goal of applying for a preliminary feasibility study by the end of this year.

GTX-A, which began construction as a pilot project in June 2019, is undergoing tunnel excavation and other works. The Paju Unjeong Station to Samsung Station section (private investment section) aims for completion in June 2024, and the Samsung Station to Dongtan Station section (public funding section) targets December 2023. This year, preparations will begin for vehicle manufacturing, temporary vehicle depot construction, and signal system installation in anticipation of separate operation of private and public sections after opening.