Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, Requests Cooperation in Meeting with Minister Han Hwa-jin of the Ministry of Environment on the 14th to Pass the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment
Passed Due to Increased Demand in Reassessment of Demand Forecast According to Total Project Cost Management Guidelines and Preliminary Feasibility Study
Difficulty Due to Ministry of Environment's Opposition to Passing Under Bukhansan National Park on the Extension Line of Ui-Sinseol
Minister Han of the Ministry of Environment Expresses Sympathy for the Necessity of Passing Under the National Park and Minimizing Impact as Explained by Mayor Oh of Dobong-gu
On June 14, Oh Eun-seok, Mayor of Dobong District (right in the photo), held a meeting with Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment, to request cooperation for the original approval of the strategic environmental impact assessment of the Ui-Sinseol extension line. Photo by Oh Eun-seok
Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, met with Minister Han Hwa-jin of the Ministry of Environment on the 14th to actively explain the necessity of passing under Bukhansan National Park for the strategic environmental impact assessment and requested cooperation.
So far, the Dobong-gu Office has conveyed the public opinion of Dobong-gu regarding project delays by meeting with the Mayor of Seoul 11 times since November last year to expedite the early start of the Ui-Sinseol extension line (Ui~Banghak), proposing and requesting the inclusion of the main budget for 2024 and the turnkey method, which integrates design and construction.
In particular, the reassessment of demand forecast conducted in May under the total project cost management guidelines showed a 34.14% increase in demand compared to the preliminary feasibility study, passing smoothly.
However, in December last year, the Ministry of Environment rejected the strategic environmental impact assessment for the Ui-Sinseol extension line passing under the national park, maintaining the position that it is not an essential facility allowed to pass through the national park and insisting on bypassing the national park for environmental conservation reasons, causing difficulties.
In response, Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu met with Minister Han Hwa-jin of the Ministry of Environment and conveyed concerns about the bypass route proposed by the Ministry of Environment, including passing under apartment complexes and Geumgangsa and Beopjongsa temples, which could lead to collective complaints, non-utilization of existing junctions, and derailment risks due to sharp curves.
Considering the inevitability of passing under Bukhansan National Park, he requested the Ministry of Environment's cooperation to pass the original strategic environmental impact assessment plan.
In response to Mayor Oh's active explanation, Minister Han expressed understanding of the public interest nature of the Ui-Sinseol extension line, the inevitability of underground passage under the national park to resolve over 140 billion KRW in increased construction costs and safety issues, and sympathy for efforts to minimize environmental impact, stating that the matter would be reviewed positively.
After passing the strategic environmental impact assessment, the Ui-Sinseol extension line is expected to proceed with total project cost negotiations, basic plan approval, and announcement around the end of the year, followed by basic and detailed design in 2024 and commencement of construction.
Mayor Oh Eon-seok of Dobong-gu said, "The Ui-Sinseol extension line project has been delayed for 15 years, but through on-site administration, we will quickly resolve issues, restore residents' trust, and strive for early construction."
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