Provincial councilors from the Suncheon area officially requested Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, to postpone the announcement of the basic plan for the Gyeongjeon Line. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Council
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Regarding the passage of the Gyeongjeon Line through the downtown area of Suncheon, provincial council members from the Suncheon region have officially requested former Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok to postpone the announcement of the Gyeongjeon Line basic plan.
On the 16th, seven provincial council members from the Suncheon area, including Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Speaker Seo Dong-wook, met with Governor Kim and pointed out that "the process of promoting the electrification project of the Gyeongjeon Line as a national project somewhat lacked procedures to collect opinions from the relevant cities and counties."
They raised concerns that "if the project proceeds according to the existing plan, it will pass through the downtown area of Suncheon, causing traffic congestion and safety accidents, as well as hindering long-term urban development."
They also requested the postponement of the announcement of the Gyeongjeon Line basic plan, stating, "Since this is based on the sacrifice of Suncheon and its citizens, please actively work to reflect the demands of the citizens."
In response, Governor Kim said, "I am well aware of the concerns of Suncheon citizens," and added, "I will propose to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other central government agencies to ensure that citizens' opinions are reflected, and I will arrange a meeting with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as soon as possible."
The Gyeongjeon Line, which connects Gwangju to Busan, has not been upgraded for the past 90 years and is a long-standing project for the cities and provinces of Gwangju and Jeonnam. Currently, after passing the preliminary feasibility study, the basic plan is scheduled to be announced in October, following the Ministry of Strategy and Finance's design suitability review.
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