2024 GTX Opening 추진…Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Local Governments Form Council

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 11th that it plans to establish and operate the 'Ministry of Land and Local Governments GTX Council,' attended by director-level officials from Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, ahead of the opening of GTX-A.

This council was formed as a follow-up measure to the Ministry of Land's 2023 work report to unify communication channels that had been individually conducted with each department of local governments by sector, and to support close consultation and prompt decision-making between agencies.

Previously, the Ministry of Land decided to promote the timely opening and commencement of existing GTX projects (A, B, C lines, etc.) to reduce commuting times in the metropolitan area to within 30 minutes. Accordingly, for Line A, comprehensive test runs on the publicly funded sections will begin and tunnel excavation on the privately funded sections will be completed by the second half of this year. For Line B, design work on the publicly funded sections will start by the end of this month, and a preferred negotiation partner for the privately funded sections will be selected. Line C will complete the review of private funding eligibility by next month, sign the implementation agreement by the second half of the year, and then commence construction.

The council will hold meetings quarterly in principle, but will convene as needed to discuss major issues.

In particular, the first meeting on the 12th will be chaired directly by Vice Minister Eo Myeong-so, who will share the current status of the GTX projects and listen to suggestions from each local government.

Additionally, urgent reviews and discussions on key quarterly tasks necessary for smooth project progress will be conducted with the relevant local governments.

Vice Minister Eo stated, "To successfully proceed with major projects such as the prioritized opening of the GTX-A Suseo-Dongtan section next year and the commencement of Line B construction, it is essential to concentrate all efforts and prepare thoroughly throughout this year. By closely collaborating and discussing the challenging GTX issues that the Ministry of Land alone found difficult to resolve with Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, we will be able to solve them wisely."