Minister Won Hee-ryong Promises Balanced Development Cooperation in Chungcheong Region
Proposes 19 Tasks Across 3 Major Strategies
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] On the 5th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will hold the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport-Chungcheong Region Development Cooperation Meeting at the Chungcheongbuk-do government office with Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho, Chungnam Governor Kim Tae-heum, Chungbuk Governor Kim Young-hwan, and Daejeon Vice Mayor Lee Taek-gu.
The Regional Development Cooperation Meeting is a forum where the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport directly visits the region to form a one-team with local governments by region, jointly addressing regional issues and presenting customized land and transportation support strategies.
At the cooperation meeting with the four local governments of the Chungcheong region on this day, they will share the issues faced by the Chungcheong region and broadly discuss the matters that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should support for the Chungcheong region's mutual growth.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will present 19 tasks under three major promotion strategies to support the Chungcheong region's mutual growth at this meeting and sign a "Mutual Cooperation Agreement for Regional Balanced Development and Chungcheong Region Mutual Growth" together with Daejeon Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Chungcheongnam-do.
The promotion strategies proposed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are △ supporting the Chungcheong region's leap as the center of national administration and balanced development, △ strengthening the connection of metropolitan and trunk networks between key hubs, and △ fostering specialized industries and creating a foundation for innovative growth.
First, the Presidential Second Office Building project plans to proceed at a rapid pace by preparing a basic plan in the first half of the year based on the 300 million KRW design budget secured this year and conducting an international design competition in the second half.
The construction of the National Assembly Sejong Branch will also see the project procedures accelerate this year with the inclusion of a 35 billion KRW budget for site acquisition, and subsequent steps such as design competitions and construction orders will be supported without delay according to the National Assembly relocation plan.
Along with the construction of the Second Office Building and the Sejong Branch of the National Assembly, efforts will begin to revise the basic plan for the Happy City to ensure it is fully established as an administrative center. The second phase of public institution relocation will establish a basic plan including relocation criteria within the first half of this year, and institutions that can relocate within the year will begin sequential relocation as early as possible.
The connection of metropolitan and trunk networks among key hubs in the Chungcheong region will also be strengthened. The metropolitan railway connecting Daejeon-Sejong-Chungbuk plans to apply for a preliminary feasibility study in the first half of the year to proceed. The first phase of the Chungcheong metropolitan railway connecting Sintanjin and Gyeryong aims to start construction this year, actively promoting the ongoing demand reforecast and negotiating the total project cost with financial authorities.
The double-track railway between Cheonan and Cheongju Airport, which began design last year, aims to start construction in the first half of 2025, with related procedures being expedited. Additionally, the Honam Line railway high-speed project, which passed the preliminary feasibility study last year, aims to start construction in 2026, with related procedures being swiftly advanced. The basic plan will commence this month, and follow-up measures such as design will proceed without delay.
To strengthen the connection between Happy City and nearby areas, the metropolitan roads Happy City-Jochiwon and Osong-Cheongju (Section 2) will open within this year, and the metropolitan BRT line connecting Happy City and Gongju aims to begin operation in 2025, with the implementation plan to be completed this year.
Furthermore, the Dangjin-Gwangmyeong private highway connecting the metropolitan area and the Chungcheong region will proceed with follow-up procedures such as selecting a business operator according to the results of the eligibility investigation.
In addition, the greenbelt release authority for non-metropolitan local governments will be expanded (from under 300,000㎡ to under 1,000,000㎡), and national strategic industries will be excluded from the total release volume.
Support will also be provided for hosting the 2027 Chungcheong Summer World University Games. Support will be given to unify the Chungcheong region. Administrative support will be provided for the construction of major sports facilities such as the Daejeon Southwest Sports Town, and discussions on transportation infrastructure and securing the athletes' village will be held together with the region.
The creation of the Daejeon Urban Convergence Special Zone for a new leap of Daejeon Station will also be accelerated. The basic plan will be completed this year, and collaboration with Daejeon City will be made to begin the implementation plan and prepare related laws. Additionally, the plan to establish urban convergence special zones, currently promoted only in five metropolitan cities, will be actively considered for local hub cities as well.
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