Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Discloses All 7 Years of Data Related to Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway 'Favoritism Allegations'

Attached 55 files from 2016 to recent
"Requesting feasibility verification by the public and experts"

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on the 23rd publicly released data spanning seven years from the construction planning stage to the present regarding the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway project, which has sparked controversy over route changes.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong attended the practical party-government consultation meeting of the People Power Party's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee regarding fake news about the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 6th. / Photo by Yonhap News

Despite explanations from the government, including Minister Won Hee-ryong of MOLIT, suspicions of favoritism surrounding the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway project have not been dispelled, prompting this measure.

Minister Won stated, "A national project worth 1.9 trillion won, expected to be used by over 30,000 vehicles daily, was halted earlier this month due to baseless rumors," adding, "To resolve these suspicions and allow direct verification by the public, we are unprecedentedly disclosing all the data accumulated so far, excluding personal information."

The data has been uploaded on a separate page titled 'Full Disclosure of Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway Data' on the MOLIT website. It consists of 55 PDF files organized into four main topics (Comprehensive Explanation, The Beginning of the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway, Route Review Process, Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment) and 22 detailed subcategories.

Under the 'Comprehensive Explanation' topic, the files include matters related to junctions (JCT) reviewed during the feasibility study process, preliminary feasibility study results, and comparison tables of alternative routes. The 'The Beginning of the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway' section introduces that this road was incorporated into the 1st National Road Comprehensive Plan in August 2016 and began as a national project, including the April 2021 preliminary feasibility study approval and discussions on alternatives (terminus at Gangsang-myeon).

Next, the 'Route Review Process' explains the process of developing alternatives through feasibility studies conducted after the preliminary feasibility study, consultations with related agencies, and expert advice. There are 37 files related to this topic alone. Regarding the 'Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment,' materials covering the process from the council review in February this year to the public release of the draft strategic environmental impact assessment report last month have been posted.

Minister Won added, "I ask the public and experts to review the data and verify its feasibility. If anyone has better alternatives, please feel free to propose them," and emphasized, "MOLIT will do its best to ensure that the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway project moves beyond unproductive political disputes and returns to normal progress."

Separately from the data disclosure, Minister Won plans to collect questions related to the Seoul~Yangpyeong Expressway online and respond directly. Since the question submission began on the 21st, a total of 16 posts have been made on MOLIT’s interactive communication platform 'Onttong Square.' Additionally, Minister Won is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee on the 26th, where a heated exchange over current issues is anticipated.