Won Hee-ryong: "Efforts to Stabilize Housing by Releasing Greenbelt... GTX to Open Without Delay"

[New Year's Address] Visible Achievements Expected in Policy Goals
Emphasis on Financial and Regulatory Easing, Normalization of Abnormalities

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is delivering a welcoming speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Overseas Construction Order Support Group and the 1st meeting held at the President Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 28th of last month. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Kyung-jo] Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, promised deregulation for regional development, housing stability, and transportation innovation this year. He stated that the government will respond effectively on a whole-of-government basis to organized minorities such as the Cargo Solidarity.

In his New Year's address on the 2nd, Minister Won said, "Last year, we did our best to correct past mistakes and reflect the voices of the people, such as normalizing the real estate market, alleviating the late-night taxi shortage, and withdrawing the Cargo Solidarity's transport refusal," adding, "With the new year, I will work even harder with renewed determination to turn policy goals into tangible results."

First, he said he would ease excessive regulations such as those on greenbelt areas. Minister Won elaborated, "We will expand insufficient transportation networks and strive to use the land efficiently and three-dimensionally," adding, "We will put railroads and highways underground."

He continued, "While maintaining a stable housing supply base, we will accelerate financial and regulatory easing so that real demanders do not suffer from sudden transaction disruptions," emphasizing this point. There are also plans to improve the quality of rental housing by reducing noise between floors and expanding parking spaces to enhance residential conditions.

In the transportation sector, he said, "We will open the metropolitan area express railroad (GTX) without delay, and make travel more convenient and comfortable with a dense transportation network including standing-room-free metropolitan buses and expanded bus rapid transit (BRT) in small and medium-sized local cities."

In particular, he stated, "We will boldly abolish regulations that hinder private creativity and innovation in future transportation modes such as fully autonomous vehicles and urban air mobility (UAM) to lead the world," adding, "In the data era, we will integrate and link scattered transportation data and accelerate the digital transformation of transportation."

Regarding overseas construction orders, which have exceeded $30 billion for three consecutive years, he said that the private and public sectors will work as 'One Team Korea Package' to bring many good news. He is determined to achieve $50 billion in annual overseas orders by 2027 and leap into the world's top four construction markets.

Minister Won also mentioned, "We will protect the vulnerable low-income class facing crises due to malicious jeonse fraud, and ensure that transportation infrastructure benefits are evenly spread to transportation-disadvantaged groups such as the housing vulnerable and disabled," adding, "Public rental housing will be expanded in area and improved in quality."

He also vowed to eradicate illegal and unfair practices. Minister Won explained, "Organized minorities infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of the majority of workers and hold the national economy hostage," adding, "In the new year, we will establish strong and effective whole-of-government measures to normalize abnormal situations."

Furthermore, he said, "The economic situation is expected to be very difficult this year as well. Global uncertainty is very high," adding, "At times like this, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will take the lead with the people to create a new Korea where fairness and common sense breathe."

The following is the full text of the New Year's address.

Dear citizens, the new year of 2023, the Year of the Black Rabbit, has dawned.

I wish all citizens great blessings and hope that our economy will make a greater leap this year.

Last year, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration was born amid the hopes of all of us.

The people's desire to revive future hope and restore broken fairness and common sense created the Yoon Seok-yeol government.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport did its best last year to correct past mistakes and reflect the voices of the people.

We worked diligently to solve urgent livelihood issues such as normalizing the real estate market, alleviating the late-night taxi shortage, and withdrawing the Cargo Solidarity's transport refusal, while also creating new growth engines such as activating overseas orders including the Middle East.

Now, with the new year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will work even harder with renewed determination to connect policy goals to tangible results.

First, we will open an era of regional development that can be felt in everyday life.

We will ease excessive regulations such as those on greenbelt areas by harnessing the autonomy and creativity of local residents as the driving force. We will expand insufficient transportation networks and strive to use the land efficiently and three-dimensionally.

In particular, we will put railroads and highways underground to fully realize the three-dimensional use of the land.

Second, we will make every effort to stabilize housing.

While maintaining a stable housing supply base, we will accelerate financial and regulatory easing so that real demanders do not suffer from sudden transaction disruptions.

We will implement real estate financial policies delicately and meticulously to prevent real estate transaction disruptions from leading to an economic crisis.

Also, we will improve the quality of rental housing by reducing noise between floors and expanding parking spaces to enhance residential conditions.

Third, we will innovate transportation.

We will open the GTX without delay to ease commuting worries for metropolitan citizens, build metropolitan railroads, provide standing-room-free metropolitan buses, and expand BRT in small and medium-sized local cities to make travel more convenient and comfortable with a dense transportation network.

Furthermore, we will boldly abolish regulations that hinder private creativity and innovation in future transportation modes such as fully autonomous vehicles and urban air mobility (UAM) to lead the world.

Now is the data era. We will integrate and link scattered transportation data and accelerate the digital transformation of transportation to maximize transportation efficiency.

Fourth, to increase overseas construction orders, the private and public sectors will work together to bring many good news from abroad.

Beyond infrastructure, we will achieve $50 billion in annual overseas orders by 2027 and leap into the world's top four construction markets with the One Team Korea Package, which bundles our strengths in advanced technology and content such as defense industry, nuclear power, information and communications, and Hallyu culture.

Fifth, we will take the lead in implementing warm policies that protect the vulnerable.

Recently, many low-income people are at risk of losing all their precious jeonse deposits due to malicious jeonse fraud.

We will protect them and ensure that transportation infrastructure benefits are evenly spread to the housing vulnerable, and transportation-disadvantaged groups such as the disabled and elderly who suffer from poor living conditions and restricted mobility.

Public rental housing will be expanded in area and innovated in quality to improve its standards.

Sixth, we will eradicate illegal and unfair practices that are widespread throughout society.

So far, organized minorities such as the Cargo Solidarity and construction unions have infringed on the legitimate rights and interests of the majority of workers and held the national economy hostage.

In the new year, we will establish strong and effective whole-of-government measures to normalize abnormal situations where small groups oppress the good majority.

Finally, we will prioritize the lives and safety of the people in all tasks of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for many areas directly related to the lives of our people, such as roads, railroads, aviation, and construction. We will thoroughly eradicate acts that disregard people's lives, prioritize profits, or cause danger due to safety negligence.

By identifying risk factors in advance and taking proactive and resolute safety measures, we will become a government that properly fulfills its duties for the lives and safety of our people.

Dear citizens, the economic situation is expected to be very difficult this year as well. Global uncertainty is very high.

However, I believe that if we unite our hearts at times like this, we can overcome this crisis and bring new opportunities sooner.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will take the lead with the people to create a new Korea where fairness and common sense breathe.

I wish all citizens health and happiness in the new year.