Extension of Line 5 to Gimpo in 2035? Incheon's Perspective Differs

Gimpo Dreaming of Becoming a City of 700,000, Stigmatized as a Hell Train
Promises to Extend Line 5 Every Election, But...

The overcrowding issue on the Gimpo Urban Railway (Gimpo Gold Line) is widely regarded as a foreseeable problem. Since 2011, when residents began moving into Hangang New Town in earnest, Gimpo has experienced an average annual population growth rate of 7%, showing one of the highest population increases nationwide.

At the end of last year, Gimpo was promoted to a metropolitan city after reaching a population of 500,000. However, the railway transportation network connecting Gimpo and Seoul consists solely of the two-car light rail line, the Gimpo Gold Line.

Since Hangang New Town was designated as a housing development district in 2003, extensions of Seoul Subway Line 5 or Line 9 have been discussed, but plans were scrapped due to changes in the new town site size and budget shortages.

Gimpo Urban Railway (Gimpo Gold Line) Gimpo Airport Station is bustling with transferring passengers.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Gimpo Gold Line was originally planned as a four-car light rail, but since it received no national or provincial funding, it was ultimately reduced to two cars. As a result, during rush hours, not only the trains but also the platforms become packed with people, earning the line the notorious nickname "hell train." The structure of the Gimpo Gold Line does not allow for adding more trains even as congestion rates rise.

Currently, the most prominent solution proposed to resolve Gimpo's transportation issues is the extension of Seoul Subway Line 5. This project involves constructing a new approximately 28 km section from Banghwa Station in Seoul to Janggi Station in Gimpo.

Last year, the government confirmed the development of Gimpo Hangang 2 Compact City, which will build 46,000 housing units on a 7.31 million square meter site covering Masandong, Unyang-dong, Janggi-dong, and Yangchon-eup. This has accelerated the extension of Line 5 to Gimpo. Gimpo City aims to open the Line 5 extension around 2035, coinciding with the completion of the Compact City, and plans to develop Gimpo into a metropolitan city with a population of 700,000.

However, there remains the challenge of resolving conflicts with Incheon City over the Line 5 extension. Incheon advocates for a route passing through Geomdan New Town to improve transportation convenience for residents of Seo-gu, while Gimpo insists on a direct connection to Gimpo.

On the 12th, Gimpo City held a roundtable meeting with city council members to discuss major issues, including the Line 5 extension to Gimpo. Mayor Kim Byung-su emphasized at the meeting that "active cooperation is essential to smoothly advance the pressing issues facing the city, such as the Gimpo Hangang 2 Compact City and the Seoul Line 5 extension to Gimpo."